H.E. Mr. Pablo Iglesias Turrión, former Deputy Prime Minister of Spain and founder of Podemos, visited the China Institute for Innovation & Development Strategy (CIIDS) on November 17, 2025 for discussions. The meeting was chaired by  Mr. Feng Wei, Vice Chairman of CIIDS. Also in attendance were Zhu Rui, Secretary-General of the Centre for Spain Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Ignacio Ramos Delgado, assistant to Mr. Iglesias, and Ke Guifu, Director of CIIDS's General Research Department. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on a range of topics, including China's commitment to peaceful development, global challenges driven by technological change, China-Europe relations, and international communication.

Mr. Feng Wei stated that China has consistently adhered to a path of peaceful development — the concept of a "peaceful rise" underscores the pursuit of modernization through peaceful means and the collective peaceful development and prosperity with all countries in the world. He emphasized that China and Europe are neither destined to be adversaries nor burdened by fundamental conflicts of interest. Instead, their relationship is best positioned as a long-term, stable partnership — a role in which Spain has set a commendable example. Feng said CIIDS looks forward to deepening cooperation with Spanish partners through academic exchanges, reciprocal visits, joint seminars, and collaborative publications, all aimed at further developing the "Understanding China Understanding World" platform and enhancing mutual trust. He also extended a warm invitation to Mr. Iglesias to participate in the "Understanding China" international conference at his convenience in the future.

Mr. Iglesias remarked that the current international landscape is increasingly complex, with growing pressure from the United States on Europe. Nonetheless, he noted, European societies broadly favor maintaining constructive relations with China. He affirmed that deepening China-Spain ties and expanding practical cooperation across multiple sectors enjoy broad consensus among Spain’s political parties. He expressed high regard for China's achievements in peaceful development, international engagement, and technological innovation, he also introduced the practice of new media platform he leads, highlighting its role in public discourse and international engagement. Mr. Iglesias conveyed his willingness to establish a long-term and results-oriented partnership with CIIDS in the areas such as intellectual exchange, media collaboration, and academic dialogue.

Mr. Ke Guifu remarked that the world is currently undergoing a new wave of technological revolution, driving profound transformation in industrial and social structure changes, which, in turn, are reshaping political institutions and governance models. These developments present urgent and critical questions for scholars and policymakers worldwide. Given their shared interests in issues regarding technological change and industrial development in global transformations, he suggested that both sides could strengthen academic exchanges and joint research on these themes, thereby providing robust intellectual foundations for deeper mutual understanding and broader cooperation.

Both sides concurred that opportunities exist to further expand collaboration in think-tank research, international communication, and thematic seminars. By sustaining regular and high-quality interactions, they aim to foster a more nuanced and substantive mutual understanding between China and Europe, thus laying as a strong foundation for future development of bilateral relations.