China will work more closely with Spain to deal with global economic slump and climate change among other issues concerning world peace and development, said a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday.

China-Spain relations have been developing smoothly since both countries established diplomatic ties in 1973, said He Guoqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

China and Spain have seen frequent high-level exchanges and shared deeper political trust and broad consensus on bilateral relations, China-European ties, multilateral issues and international order, and have increased trade cooperation and active people-to-people exchanges, He said in a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero Monday evening.

He, also secretary of the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, appreciated the Spanish government's unswerving adherence to its one-China policy.

As Spain will take the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) next January, He said China-Spain relations are faced with new opportunities for growth.

"China would like to better cooperate with Spain on addressing global economic downturn and climate change among other issues concerning world peace and development so as to take bilateral relations to a new high," He said.

Zapatero said that his government attaches great importance to cooperation with China and will continue bilateral cooperation on politics, economy, culture and education.

The Spanish prime minister also said both countries can particularly work in telecommunications, clean energy, construction and agricultural products so as to deepen Spain-China comprehensive strategic partnership, which was established in 2005.

The Chinese anti-graft chief briefed Zapatero on China's domestic situation and major efforts to tackle the world financial slump. Zapatero also shared with He Spain's measures to deal with the financial foes and his perspective on the future situation.

He arrived in Madrid on Monday after wrapping up a tour to Egypt. His fortnight visit will also take him to Jordan and Mongolia.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2009)