
From November 13 to 16, 2005, a delegation of the China-Spain Forum and Chinese entrepreneurs led by Chen Haosu, executive chairman of the Chinese Committee of the China-Spain Forum, paid a goodwill visit to Spain. During the visit, Chen Haosu accompanied President Hu Jintao meeting with Juan Antonio Samaranch, chairman of the Forum’s Spanish Committee. President Hu Jintao met with Chinese entrepreneurs at the Forum. Chen Haosu attended the grand banquet hosted by Spanish King Juan Carlos I at the king’s palace and the First China-Spain Business Summit, one of whose sponsors was the CPAFFC. Chairman Samaranch and deputy mayor of Madrid held a luncheon in honor of Chen Haosu and his party to welcome their visit to Spain. Chen had talks with officials of the Spanish Foreign Ministry and other departments concerned on the third meeting of the China-Spain Forum.
President Hu Meeting withChairman Samaranch
On November 13 President Hu Jintao accompanied by Chen Haosu, executive chairman of the Chinese Committee of the Forum, met with Juan Samaranch, chairman of the Forum’s Spanish Committee. Hu said, the Forum is an important platform for promoting bilateral cooperation. In the past two years since its establishment, the Forum has played a positive role in boosting Sino-Spanish friendly cooperation. Chairman Samaranch has made painstaking efforts to make the Forum grow smoothly. With continued development of Sino-Spanish relations, the Forum has lots of things to do. President Hu hoped that the Chinese and Spanish participants of the Forum would make joint efforts to further strengthen exchanges, expand cooperation and play a better role of bridge in pushing forward bilateral relations. Samaranch said, the Forum has played a very good role in promoting the development of bilateral relations, and he feels greatly honoured and proud that he can give China some help to carry forward the Olympic Games. He expressed his belief that the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games would achieve full success.
President Hu Meeting with Chinese Entrepreneurs at the Forum
On November 14 in the Spanish state guest house, President Hu Jintao met with the staff of the Chinese Embassy, representatives of the overseas Chinese in Spain and the delegation of the China-Spain Forum and entrepreneurs led by CPAFFC President Chen Haosu. In his speech, President Hu talked about the good political and economic situation at home and the importance of his visit to Spain. He said, during the visit, China and Spain had exchanged views in depth on further developing bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern and reached consensus on many of them. The two sides issued a joint communiqué, formally announcing that the two countries agree to build a comprehensive strategic partnership, indicating that Sino-Spanish relations have entered a new stage of development. President Hu expressed his belief that his visit would surely promote better development of Sino-Spanish comprehensive strategic partnership.
President Hu and King Juan Carlos Attending Business Summit
On November 15 the First China-Spain Business Summit jointly sponsored by the CPAFFC and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade convened at the auditorium of the Madrid Conference Palace. President Hu delivered an important speech at the opening ceremony. He said, such a large scale and high-level forum for entrepreneurs jointly held by the two countries for the first time has great importance to promoting bilateral cooperation in economy and technology. He hoped that entrepreneurs of the two countries would expand cooperation in more regions and fields to gain mutual benefits and win-win results. In his address, King Juan Carlos said, during President Hu’s visit in Spain, the two countries announced to build a comprehensive strategic partnership. Spain and China will become important partners. President Hu’s visit will surely promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Altogether over 1,000 Chinese and Spanish entrepreneurs attended the opening ceremony of the Summit. On the same day the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Spain issued a joint communiqué, expressing support for the China-Spain Forum.
Samaranch Entertaining CPAFFC President Chen Haosu and His Party
On the noon of November 15, Chairman Samaranch and the deputy mayor of Madrid held a luncheon at the city hall to welcome CPAFFC president and his party. Chen conveyed cordial greeting from Hu Qili, chairman of the Forum’s Chinese Committee, to Samaranch. Chen said, President Hu’s visit to Spain is of great importance, which has upgraded the bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership. President Hu Jintao and King Carlos delivered important speeches at the Summit expressing their best wishes for the cooperation between the two countries. Hence, the Chinese and Spanish sides should cooperate more closely and made the Forum more successful. Chairman Samaranch said, President Hu’s visit to Spain is very successful and has created more favorable conditions for the China-Spain Forum. Chairman Samaranch asked Chen Haosu to convey his regards to Chairman Hu Qili. At the end of the luncheon Chen Haosu presented to Samaranch mascots of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
After the luncheon Chen Haosu exchanged views with leading officials of the Spanish Foreign Ministry on the framework and implementation plan of the third meeting of the China-Spain Forum.