China hopes Spain will play an important role in promoting the China-EU relationship and helping ties develop in a sound and stable manner, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday.

He made the remarks when meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

China and the European Union (EU) are not rivals but partners, Wang said, and both sides share a broad consensus on upholding multilateralism and promoting greater democracy in international relations.

Albares said Spain, which will assume the rotating EU presidency for six months in the second half of 2023, is willing to work with China to implement the results achieved at the leaders' meeting between the EU and China in April and push forward EU-China dialogue and cooperation.

As next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Spain, the two officials agreed to further develop relations.

Wang said that China is willing to work with Spain on the preparations for the China-Spain Year of Culture and Tourism next year.

Albares said his country hopes to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges with China and establish more Cervantes Institutes in China.