China-Spain Mayors' Dialogue Commences in Chongqing

Chongqing - On April 25, the "2025 China-Spain Mayors' Dialogue" opened in Chongqing. 

Co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Fundación Cátedra China and organized by the Chongqing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the event brings together 70 local government representatives from Chinese cities such as Chongqing, Guizhou, and Gansu, as well as Spanish regions including Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha, to explore urban cooperation in green development, primary-level governance, and local partnerships. 

Gerardo Pisarello, the First Secretary of the Bureau of the Spanish Congress of Deputies and Former Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, gave his opening speech (Photo/Feng Xiaolou)

The event follows Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's visit to China on April 11, during which leaders of both countries reaffirmed their commitments to deepen economic, cultural, and environmental partnerships. Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of China-Spain comprehensive strategic ties, the dialogue aims to translate high-level consensus into actionable city-level projects, injecting new momentum into bilateral relations.

At the opening ceremony, Gerardo Pisarello, First Secretary of the Bureau of the Spanish Congress of Deputies and Former Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, remarked on Spain-China relations, saying "We live in complex times, marked by instability and uncertainty. Today’s geopolitical context demands serenity, mutual respect, and openness. Spain and China stand as firm advocates for dialogue, multilateralism, and peace."

The dialogue features three roundtable discussions. The first, "Building a Green Urban Future," gathers representatives from Chongqing's Wanzhou District, Anshun (Guizhou Province), Jiuquan (Gansu Province), and Spain's Andalusia and Basque Country to discuss low-carbon transitions and eco-industrial synergy. 

One of the roundtable discussions about green development between city managers (Photo/Feng Xiaolou)

Alaitz Zabala, a Member of the Basque Autonomous Community Parliament, offered a unique perspective, saying, "To speak of green ecology is, above all, to speak of social justice and inclusion." Agreeing with Zabala, Zhang Bin, Vice Mayor of Chongqing's Wanzhou District, pointed out how green development is key to a high-quality economic development. He said, "We seek benefits from ecology and tap into its value by integrating agriculture, culture, and tourism, encouraging each area in our city to leverage its unique natural resources."

The second session, "Innovating Primary-level Governance," focused on digital governance and elderly care solutions in city communities, drawing insights from Chongqing's Shapingba District, Zhongshan (Guangdong Province), Qingyang (Gansu Province), and the regions of Navarra and Castilla-La Mancha in Spain.

Zhao Qi, Vice Mayor of Chongqing's Shapingba District, shared his thoughts on primary-level city management, saying "To address city management challenges, we are committed to empowering resilient city development through digitalization. We have connected 283,000 sensing devices and consolidated 349 million public data entries. Using AI algorithms, we have enabled various application scenarios such as 'preventing objects thrown from high altitudes' and 'preventing illegal parking.'"

A Smart City Operations Management Centre in Chongqing. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

The third, "Creating Win-Win Local Partnership," explored logistics and consumer market collaboration, featuring Chongqing's Yuzhong District, Lianyungang (Jiangsu Province), Dongguan (Guangdong Province), and multiple Spanish regions. Deng Guanghuai, Vice Mayor of Chongqing's Yuzhong District, highlighted Yuzhong's historical significance, saying, "Yuzhong District is Chongqing's historic heart and its gateway to the world - a global living room for the city. Nearly 45-50% of all international tourists to Chongqing pay a visit to Yuzhong each year." Xabier Alcuaz, the mayor of Tafalla, emphasizes the importance of municipal collaboration across borders, especially in regions with distinct cultural and historical identities such as Tafalla and Yuzhong District.

Chongqing, leveraging such high-profile platforms, demonstrates its role as a hub for international exchange in central and western China through the event.