On the morning of June 20, local time, Pan Feng, President of Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC), led a business delegation to visit Spain. During the visit, Pan Feng met with Mr. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, former Prime Minister of Spain and Chairman of the ECECDC. Both sides had in-depth discussions and exchanged views on topics such as China-Spain trade and investment, global green energy transition, intelligent development of manufacturing, the First China-Europe Business Leaders and Former Senior Officials Dialogue, and the organization of the Fourth Global Geographical Indication Products Expo.
On 9 June 2025, Mr. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Chairman of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Spain, met with Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and Mr. John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Dr. Zichen, recipient of the 18th World Outstanding Chinese Award, Chairman of the AI Committee of the World Chinese Business Investment Foundation, and Executive Director and President of Alpha Technology Group Limited (Nasdaq: ATGL), was invited to attend the exchange meeting. The discussions focused on Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and “super value creator,” and on how to further enhance exchanges between China and Europe, particularly Spain.
The meeting also centered on the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy in Hong Kong and its current economic development, with in-depth exchanges on key topics related to artificial intelligence. Both sides expressed their intention to promote future cooperation between Hong Kong and Europe in the fields of science, technology, and innovation.
According to media reports, when speaking about technological development, former Prime Minister Zapatero described artificial intelligence as a “qualitative leap” in the history of technology. He noted that AI represents not only technological progress, but also poses challenges to models of coexistence within human society. He further called for the establishment of robust ethical norms and strengthened global cooperation to regulate and guide the development of artificial intelligence.
During his visit to Hong Kong, former Prime Minister Zapatero placed particular emphasis on educational exchanges, cooperation among universities, and collaboration in vocational education. He emphasized that, from a medium- to long-term perspective, exchanges in education and culture help consolidate and promote friendly relations among countries and regions worldwide, enhance people-to-people connectivity, and enable all parties to discover more shared common ground.
On May 24, 2025, amid the blend of history and modernity along Ningbo’s Bund, the 10th edition of the “Bund Afternoon Tea”, the Romania-Ningbo Jiangbei Investment and Economic & Trade Exchange Event, was held. Viorica Dăncilă, Co-Chair of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Romania, led a Romanian political and business delegation on a visit to the Ningbo Secretariat of the European Ningbo General Chamber of Commerce.
Members of the delegation included Nicolae Vasilescu, Chairman of the Romania-China Chamber of Commerce; Gheorghe Cătălin Coman, Mayor of Fălticeni; Sorin Cristian Inache, Deputy Mayor of Galați; Ion Ștefanovici, President of the Center for Analysis and Planning of Regional Development; Titus Valberg, Vice Chairman of the Viorica Dăncilă Foundation; Bogdan Cătreanu, Secretary General of the Viorica Dăncilă Foundation; Cosmin Alexandru Ilie, City Administrator of Fălticeni; and Toma Ion Dumitrescu, City Administrator of Galați. Together with representatives from Ningbo’s government and business sectors, they jointly outlined a blueprint for cooperation, with multiple agreements signed on site. The gathering of senior officials marked a milestone in cooperation and injected strong momentum into China-Central and Eastern Europe economic and trade collaboration. Xu Huixiang, District Mayor of Jiangbei District People’s Government; Pan Weifeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangbei District Committee and Head of the United Front Work Department; and Gu Guoxing, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangbei District Committee and Executive Vice District Mayor, attended the event.
On May 23, 2025, as one of the key events of the Fourth China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo, the 2025 China-Central and Eastern European Countries Mayors’ Forum was held in Ningbo. Viorica Dăncilă, Co-Chair of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Romania, who was invited to China to attend the Expo, participated in the forum and gave an exclusive interview to China Media Group. She congratulated the successful hosting of the Expo, spoke highly of China’s development achievements, and expressed her expectation that Romania’s new government would strengthen cooperation with China and further advance bilateral relations.
As an old friend of China, Dăncilă described her impressions of this visit as “feels new every time,” noting that each visit brings different discoveries and gains. She also openly expressed her affection for China, stating: “I appreciate the warmth and hospitality of the Chinese people, admire China’s development approach, and China consistently brings us continuous surprises through rapid innovation.” She further praised China’s visa-free policies, remarking that they are beneficial to both China and the world and are worthy of reference by other countries.
Following the recent conclusion of Romania’s presidential election, Dăncilă also shared her expectations for the new government’s development of relations with China: “Over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China has always been a friendly partner and a model of development for Romania. Strengthening relations with China on the basis of mutual respect and common development will bring many benefits to Romania.”
On 26 March 2025, Mr. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Chairman of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Spain, held talks in Yichang with Mr. Tan Hua, Party Secretary and Chairman of China Gezhouba Group Corporation of Energy China. The two sides conducted in-depth exchanges on supporting Spain’s low-carbon and green energy transition, jointly developing high-quality benchmark cooperation projects between Chinese and Spanish enterprises, and expanding pragmatic cooperation in areas including green and low-carbon energy, hydropower, water resources, and environmental protection. During the meeting, broad consensus was reached.
Mr. Zapatero expressed appreciation for Gezhouba Group’s contributions to China–Spain economic and trade relations and to the development of the green and low-carbon energy sector. He noted that Energy China and Gezhouba Group, as leading enterprises in the global energy and power sector, possess strong comprehensive capabilities and prominent integrated advantages, and enjoy significant development potential in Spain. He welcomed Gezhouba Group’s in-depth participation in investment and construction in key sectors in Spain, including new energy, hydropower, and water and environmental protection. He also expressed his expectation that both sides would further strengthen communication and mutual visits, advance a package of cooperation projects based on a cooperation project list, and support Spain’s green and low-carbon energy transition.
Mr. Tan Hua welcomed Mr. Zapatero and his delegation. He noted that Gezhouba Group takes its name from the construction of the Gezhouba Project, the first dam on the Yangtze River, and is renowned as a main force in the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydropower project. The Group is widely recognized as a “global calling card” for hydropower construction and a leading enterprise under the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the years, Gezhouba Group has actively expanded its overseas presence, with operations in more than 100 countries and regions worldwide. Spain is an important overseas market for Energy China. Gezhouba Group is willing to leverage the advantages of the “Four New” energy platform to further strengthen localized operations in Spain. While actively participating in investment and construction in Spain’s green and low-carbon energy, hydropower, and water and environmental protection sectors, the Group will also work closely with Spanish local enterprises to jointly participate in renewable energy projects—such as photovoltaic and solar thermal hybrid projects, wind power, pumped-storage hydropower, and hydrogen energy—in Latin America, North Africa, the Middle East, and other regions, with the aim of building high-quality benchmark cooperation projects between Chinese and Spanish enterprises.
Prior to the talks, Mr. Tan Hua accompanied Mr. Zapatero and his delegation on visits to the Three Gorges Project Museum, the crest of the Three Gorges Dam, and the River Closure Memorial Park.
On 25 March 2025, Mr. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Chairman of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Spain, together with the Delegation, met with Mr. Liu Xiaoming, Deputy Secretary of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Hainan Province, in Boao.
Mr. Zapatero stated that China has become Spain’s largest trading partner aside from the European Union. He noted that China continues to expand high-level opening-up and is vigorously advancing the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, positioning Hainan as a more open gateway to the world. Spain is willing to deepen cooperation with Hainan in areas such as tourism, ports, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, clean energy, and artificial intelligence, in order to achieve mutual benefit and win-win development through joint efforts.
Mr. Liu Xiaoming welcomed Mr. Zapatero and his delegation and introduced the general conditions of Hainan Province and the progress of Free Trade Port development. He noted that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China–Spain comprehensive strategic partnership. Hainan has long maintained close bilateral relations with Spain and hopes to further strengthen cooperation in tourism, economic and trade exchanges, ports, and subnational government engagement. He expressed expectations for advancing one-stop tourism product development, mutual exchange of tourist sources, connecting flight routes, leveraging the China International Consumer Products Expo to expand markets for high-quality products, opening regular shipping routes, establishing sister-city relationships, carrying out third-party cooperation with Latin America, and jointly promoting sustainable development.
On the morning of February 18th (local time), Worldwide Perspectives on Geographical Indications organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) grandly opens at the UN Headquarters in Rome. The event brought together 150 global participants for cross-sector discussions focused on core topics related to geographical indications (GIs). Qu Dongyu, Director-General of FAO; Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry of the Italian Republic delivered speeches at the opening ceremony; Pan Feng, President of Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC), delivered keynote speech.
At noon on February 18th (local time), Pan Feng, President of Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC), held a working discussion with Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The two sides engaged in in-depth exchanges on key topics, including strengthening cooperation with FAO, promoting China-EU geographical indication(GI) product activities, and addressing food security and safeguards.
On the morning of February 17 (local time), the first annual working meeting of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council for 2025 was convened in Madrid. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Chairman of the Council and former Prime Minister of Spain, held discussions with Pan Feng, President of the Council. The two sides engaged in in-depth exchanges on key topics, including advancing economic and trade exchanges between China and Spain, investments by Chinese new energy enterprises in Spain,the China-EU Former Senior Officials Dialogue, the China-EU High-Level Entrepreneurs Dialogue, the hosting of the 4th China-EU Geographical Indications Products Expo, and Spain’s participation in the National Pavilion of the 8th China International Import Expo. Miguel Sebastian Gascon, former Spanish Minister of Industry, Rafael Galan, Secretary-General of the EU-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council, and over ten other representatives accompanied.
On the evening of November 18th, the business gala of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) was successfully held in Madrid. Mr. Jose Luis Zapatero, Chairman of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Spain, delivered a speech at the gala and had a working discussion with Mr. Pan Feng, President of ECECDC, before the dinner started. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on promoting the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Spain to a new level, Chinese enterprises’ investment in Spain, dialogue between Former Senior Officials of China and Europe, dialogue between High-Level Entrepreneurs of China and Europe, and the organization of the 8th China International Import Expo, and other related topics. Yao Jing, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to the Kingdom of Spain and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to the Principality of Andorra, Inma Rodriguez Piero, Member of the European Parliament and Member of the International Trade Committee, and Miguel Sebastian Gascon, Former Minister of Industry of Spain, were among the more than 30 distinguished guests attended the event.
