Visiting Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero attended a reception Friday in Beijing marking the second anniversary of the China-Spain Forum.

The forum, a non-governmental, high-level organization, was established in Beijing in July 2003 as a platform for the full-range development of bilateral cooperation.

Hu Qili, former vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Juan

Antonio Samaranch, former president of the International Olympic Committee, serve as chairmen of both sides of the forum.

Addressing the reception, Zapatero said the forum has witnessed friendly relations between the people of the two countries."The Spanish government strongly supports the forum, and highly appreciates the role the forum has played in promoting the bilateral relations between the two countries."

He said he believes the third meeting of the forum, scheduled to be held in Shanghai next year, will be a complete success.

The first and second meetings were held in Beijing and Barcelona in December 2003 and November 2004, respectively.

"China is ready to continuously improve the mechanism of the forum and make it play a greater role in promoting bilateral cooperation," he said.

Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and also executive president of the forum, presented Zapatero with documents from the forum as a gift.

Zapatero arrived in Beijing Thursday on a three-day official visit to China as guest of Premier Wen Jiabao. It is his first visit to China since he took office as Spanish prime minister last April.

Source: Xinhua