Jia Qinglin (L), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Manuel Marin, president of the Spanish Congress of Deputies in Madrid, capital of Spain Sept. 6, 2004. (Xinhua Photo)

Jia Qinglin (R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Javier Rojo, president of the Spanish Senate in Madrid, capital of Spain Sept. 6, 2004. (Xinhua Photo)

    MADRID, Sept. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Chinese leader met here Monday with two Spanish parliamentary leaders on exchanges betweenthe National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Spanish parliament.

    Jia Qinglin, chairman of the CPPCC who arrived here Friday for a four-day official good-will visit, met separately with Javier Rojo, president of the Spanish Senate, and Manuel Marin, president of the Spanish Congress of Deputies, on ways of further enhancing bilateral ties with parliamentary contacts and exchanges in particular.

    During his meeting with Rojo, Jia said that the Sino-Spanish relations have developed smoothly since the establishment of diplomatic ties 31 years ago, and that for the past several years bilateral political relations have grown even closer.

    With mutual investments increasing, the trade volume between China and Spain surpassed five billion US dollars last year, Jia noted, saying that the two countries have kept cooperation in various international organizations.

    The Chinese leader also said that the Sino-Spanish cooperation has incessantly expanded in the fields of culture, education, science and technology, and China is willing, together with the new Spanish government, senate and congress of deputies, to explore new ways and means of further improving bilateral ties.

    Jia said that both China and Spain are victims of terrorism, and China is willing to cooperate with Spain on anti-terrorism campaign.

    He also stressed strengthening discussion with Spain on other international issues, and constantly deepening ties with Spain in culture, science and technology, education, tourism and sports.

    Rojo said that China and Spain are far apart geographically with different political systems and culture, but this does not affect their development of friendly cooperation in various fields.

    In his meeting with Marin, Jia said that the exchanges with other countries conducted by China's National People's Congress and the CPPCC are an essential part of China's diplomacy, and the CPPCC is willing to increase exchanges with the Spanish senate and congress of deputies, thereby making a new contribution to promoting bilateral relations so as to enhance friendship and cooperation between the two peoples.

    Marin said that China is playing an increasingly important rolein safeguarding world peace and promoting the development of global economy, to which Spain attaches great importance.

    Marin also said that Spain's Congress of Deputies will soon form a Spain-China parliamentarian friendship group to promote friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese National People 's Congress and the CPPCC.

    Spain is the third leg of Jia's four-nation tour, which has taken him to the Republic of Korea and Austria, and will take him to Portugal. Enditem