<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Board of Trustees of the Spain-China Council Foundation approved this Tuesday the election of Oskar Goitia as the new president of the institution, replacing Francisco J. Riberas, who had been at the head of the Foundation since December 2019.</strong></h4> Goitia, president of Mondragón Internacional and who could not attend the Board meeting in person because he was in China, said that, for Mondragón Internacional, it is “a privilege and an honor to accept this position,” according to the Council Foundation in a press release. He also pointed out that, “with our long experience in China and supported by our cooperative values, we hope to be up to the task and continue to strengthen bilateral relations at a very demanding time.” Goitia stressed that the Foundation, “not only on an economic but also a cross-cutting level, can be an ideal platform to address the opportunities that arise for Spanish interests in the relationship with China.” For his part, Riberas, who will continue to be part of the Board of Trustees, pointed out in his farewell speech as president that the Foundation “has a certain responsibility in Spain’s relationship with the second world power.” The executive president of Gestamp added that “it is not a foundation with a minor country, but with an unavoidable power, and it is vital for our country to seek a meaningful relationship, where we protect our rights and take advantage of opportunities.” <h5><strong>The University of Salamanca, new Trustee</strong></h5> The Board of Trustees also welcomed the University of Salamanca, which had already actively participated in the ninth Spain-China Forum, held last September in Beijing. Óscar Lorenzo, delegate for Institutional Strategy for Research, Transfer and Internationalisation, pointed out that, since the Forum's intervention, "the collaborations proposed by Chinese universities have been enormous." The University of Salamanca thus joins Zaragoza and Valladolid as higher education entities present on the Foundation's Board of Trustees. <h5><strong>2025 Action Plan</strong></h5> During the Board Meeting, the Foundation's Action Plan for 2025 was approved, which highlights the celebration of the tenth Spain-Japan Forum, at a location and dates yet to be determined, and the sixteenth edition of the Future Chinese Leaders programme. In addition, the China in Depth cycle will continue together with the Elcano Royal Institute, and with the podcast Deciphering China, among other projects. <h4><strong>The Spain China Council Foundation</strong></h4> The Spain-China Council Foundation is the main Spanish public diplomacy entity dedicated to China. Linked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its Board of Trustees is made up of both private companies and public entities (all Spanish) with a notable presence and activity in China. The Board of Trustees is completed by senior officials from the Spanish administration and the Spanish Embassy in China.
