Boao (China) (EFE).- The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, arrived in China on Thursday to participate in various economic events and meet with the country’s main authorities, including its President, Xi Jinping, with whom will analyze the situation in Ukraine.
The Spanish Air Force plane in which Sánchez traveled along with the rest of his delegation, which includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, landed at the Boao airport, on the island of Hainan, at 7:00 a.m. :00 local time.
The first activity on his agenda will be his participation in the Boao Economic Forum, known as the Asian Davos and in which he will speak at its inauguration along with other international leaders, including Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang.
Taking advantage of their coincidence in this forum, Sánchez will meet with the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, and with representatives of Mitsubishi and Astrazeneca in view of the possibility that they may develop new investments in Spain.
Meeting with Xi on Friday
In the middle of the day, he will travel to Beijing, where on Friday he will hold meetings with Xi, with the Prime Minister, Li Qiang, and with the President of the People’s Assembly, Zhao Leji.
The visit is made at the invitation of the Chinese president and on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but the war in Ukraine will be at the center of Sánchez’s conversation with the Chinese president.
Especially as he is the first European leader to meet him in Beijing after the Asian leader met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to present his proposals for peace.
Approaches that the head of the Spanish Government will also be able to hear from the Chinese president and before which, a priori, he assures that they have interesting points.
However, according to Spanish diplomatic sources, he will convey that there cannot be equidistance in the face of the conflict because there is a clear aggressor, Russia, and that this is the common position of the European Union.
Defending that position does not mean, however, that he travels as a mediator or as a spokesman for the EU.
In addition, Sánchez, who met last month in kyiv with Volodímir Zelenski, plans to defend before his interlocutor the peace plan of the Ukrainian president, who has invited Xi to travel to his country.
Meetings with businessmen
In an informal conversation with the journalists who are accompanying him on this trip, the President of the Government said that, in addition to analyzing the situation in Ukraine, he will discuss the bilateral relationship and the relationship between the EU and the Asian country with the Chinese leaders.
An aspect of special relevance given that Spain will assume the community presidency in the second half of this year.
Sánchez explained that he had intended for a long time to make this visit to China but that it had not been possible until now due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The visit, in his opinion, confirms the international relevance of Spain, which he said is a recognition that does not fall from heaven, but rather works and is good for everyone.
The agenda for his stay in Beijing will include meetings with Spanish businessmen settled in China and with representatives of Chinese tour operators to promote group tourist visits to Spain once the ban on them due to the pandemic has been lifted. EFE