The King and Queen of Spain will make their first state visit to China from November 11 to 13

Eduardo González The King and Queen of Spain will make their first state visit to China from November 11 to 13, culminating the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. The King and Queen, who will travel to Beijing and Chengdu, will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo. “This trip culminates the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Spain and China, and offers an opportunity to continue strengthening the deep political, economic, and cultural ties between both countries,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release. In Beijing, the King and Queen will be officially received by the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, and his wife, with an official welcoming ceremony on Wednesday, December 12. The King will also meet with Premier Li Qiang and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Zhao Leji. Furthermore, King Felipe and Queen Letizia will have a busy economic and cultural agenda and will preside over business meetings in both Beijing and Chengdu. The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has traveled to China three times in the last three years. The first visit took place in March 2023 (the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations), during which Sánchez discussed Beijing's twelve-point proposal to end the conflict in Ukraine with President Xi Jinping. On the second visit, in September 2024, the Prime Minister advocated for a negotiated solution to the tariff crisis between China and the EU and included the signing of bilateral agreements on digital trade, services, investment, and cultural cooperation. Finally, the third visit took place in April of this year and included the signing, with Li Qiang, of a new Action Plan to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, precisely in the year of its 20th anniversary. The Plan highlights four major areas of work: economy, trade and investment; agriculture and fisheries; science and technology, innovation and green development; and exchanges between societies in the areas of culture, education, sports, and tourism. It was precisely in the context of the twentieth anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Spain, signed in Madrid in 2005, that President Xi invited the King and Queen to make a state visit to his country sometime in 2025.

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