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On 18 October 2024 (local time), 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 Madrid with Mr. Song Hailiang, Party Secretary and Chairman of China Energy Engineering Group (Energy China). The two sides conducted in-depth exchanges on jointly advancing global connectivity, strengthening clean energy development, building new-type power systems, and establishing joint technology innovation centers, among other areas of pragmatic cooperation. The discussions aimed to support the stable and sound development of the China–EU comprehensive strategic partnership and to contribute wisdom and strength to the global green and low-carbon energy transition.

Mr. Zapatero expressed appreciation for Energy China’s contributions to China–Spain economic and trade relations and to the development of the green and low-carbon energy sector. He noted that Europe–China relations are vital to world peace and stability. As a close friend of China within the European Union and an important cooperation partner, Spain firmly supports openness and free trade and actively promotes mutually beneficial and win-win development between the two countries. He emphasized that ECECDC will continue to play its role as a bridge, promoting sustained exchanges and cooperation between European stakeholders and China. The Council will also actively support Chinese enterprises, including Energy China, in expanding their competitive industries in Europe, working together to make greater contributions to addressing global climate change and advancing the green energy transition.

On the morning of September 10, in Shanghai, Pan Feng, President of Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC), held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The two sides had in-depth discussions on deepening Sino-Spanish economic and trade exchanges, promoting the implementation of green new energy projects, and strengthening cooperation in the field of electric vehicles. Marta Betanzos Roig, the Spanish Ambassador to China, Wang Sheng, representative of CEATEC-EUWC in Spain, and Huang Wei, Secretary-General of CEATEC-EUWC, accompanied the meeting.

On August 6, 2024, members of a Southeast European delegation held talks in Zhengzhou with Wang Kai, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and Governor of Henan Province, engaging in in-depth discussions on advancing pragmatic cooperation. Participants of the meeting included Viorica Dăncilă, Co-Chair of ECECDC and former Prime Minister of Romania; Martin Mici, Director General of Development in the Field of Food Safety, Veterinary, Plant Protection and Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Albania; Amer Meçinović, Member of Parliament of North Macedonia; Andrey Tehov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to China; and Sashko Nasev, Ambassador of North Macedonia to China.



Wang Kai welcomed Dăncilă and the delegation on their visit to Henan for exchanges and study. He noted that Henan, located in the heartland of China, enjoys a strategic location with well-developed transportation networks, a profound cultural heritage, a comprehensive industrial system, distinctive agricultural strengths, and strong development momentum, occupying an important position in the development of Chinese civilization. He emphasized that Henan Province is currently earnestly studying and implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech and the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. In accordance with the deployments of the Seventh Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Henan Provincial Committee, the province is comprehensively advancing reform tasks, expanding high-level opening-up, fostering and developing new quality productive forces, accelerating the transformation of old and new growth drivers, and promoting high-quality development through further deepening reform across the board.

Dăncilă stated that China is an important partner for Southeast European countries, and that Henan boasts vast market potential and strong momentum for opening-up, with increasingly close economic and trade cooperation as well as people-to-people exchanges with Southeast European countries. She expressed her willingness, together with other members of the delegation, to actively promote cooperation and exchanges between Southeast European countries and Henan in areas such as international logistics, modern agriculture, green energy, education, and healthcare, so as to share development opportunities and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

From July 3rd to 5th, Chairman of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Spain, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, accompanied by Spanish Ambassador to China, Marta Betanzos Roig, and Pan Feng, President of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council, visited China to attend the 8th Global Think Tank Summit. This summit, hosted by the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, was themed “Working Together for a Better World Amidst Multiple Uncertainties”.

On 4 July 2024, Mr. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Chairman of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Spain, met in Beijing with Mr. Ma Hui, Assistant-minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Ms. Marta Betanzos, Ambassador of Spain to China, and Mr. Pan Feng, President of ECECDC, were also present.

Mr. Zapatero spoke positively of the China–Spain comprehensive strategic partnership and emphasized Spain’s willingness to play an active role within the European Union to promote the healthy development of Europe–China relations. He stated that he advocates deepening mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation and opposes trade protectionism. Against the backdrop of a turbulent international situation, Spain attaches great importance to China’s international status and influence, and is willing to further expand channels for dialogue and areas of cooperation with China, uphold multilateralism, enhance coordination and cooperation in international and multilateral arenas, and jointly address global challenges.

 Mr. Ma Hui noted that Spain is a country with significant influence and that former Prime Minister Zapatero has long been committed to promoting the development of China–Spain and China–Europe relations. China is willing to work with Spain to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, deepen pragmatic cooperation across various fields, promote the healthy and stable development of China–Spain and China–Europe relations, and jointly make positive contributions to world peace, stability, and prosperity. Mr. Ma Hui also exchanged views on issues including the European Union’s proposed imposition of additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Recently, a delegation led by Wu Zhengping, Deputy Director-General of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) Bureau, visited Spain to conduct economic and trade exchanges. During the visit, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Chairman of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council (ECECDC) and former Prime Minister of Spain The two sides held in-depth discussions on further deepening China–Spain economic and trade cooperation and jointly advancing the preparation for the 7th China International Import Expo.

During the same period, the delegation successfully hosted the 7th CIIE Promotion Conference in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Yao Jing, Chinese Ambassador to Spain; Wu Zhengping, Deputy Director-General of the CIIE Bureau; Carmen Jordán, Director of Innovation Industries at ICEX Spain Trade and Investment; Pablo López, Director of the Leading Brands of Spain Forum; and Li Feng, Deputy General Manager of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Europe) Ltd., attended the event and delivered speeches. Approximately 100 representatives from local business associations and enterprises participated in the promotion conference, engaging in exchanges on cooperation opportunities and sharing the benefits of the CIIE platform.

Remarks Delivered by Chinese Ambassador to Spain Yao Jing


Remarks Delivered by CIIE Deputy General Director Wu Zhengping


Wu Zhengping Meets with Zapatero

On the afternoon of May 21 local time, the China-Spain Business Conference was successfully held in Madrid. Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Chinese Ambassador to Spain Yao Jing, and Vice Chairman of CEATEC Pan Feng attended the meeting and delivered speeches. The conference announced the establishment of the Europe-China Economic Cooperation and Development Council, with Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero serving as the founding Chairman, and Pan Feng as the President. More than 60 representatives from Chinese and Spanish enterprises attended the meeting.