Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit China next week, Reuters reports.

His visit is at the official invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the Asian country wants to play a mediating role in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The invitation, first reported by Pais yesterday, was later confirmed by Sanchez's chief of staff, Felix Bolaños.

"The trip will take place next week. The weight that Spain and Pedro Sanchez have in the world is indisputable," he said, adding that "China has a key role in mediating the war."

Bolaños said the visit will also be important from a commercial and economic point of view, as Sanchez plans to meet with the Asia-Pacific Forum and Spanish companies operating in China.

Xi has just finished a three-day visit to Moscow, where he described China's position on the conflict as "impartial".

Last month, Beijing presented a 12-point peace plan and called for a complete ceasefire.

Pedro Sanchez arrived in Kyiv for a meeting with Zelensky

Spain, a NATO member whose foreign policy is closely aligned with the United States, is a staunch ally of Ukraine and will take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union in July.

During his visit to Kiev on the eve of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, Sanchez expressed his "unconditional support" for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and backed his proposed peace plan, which includes demands to restore Ukraine's territory to its pre-annexation borders from Russia in 2014

Sanchez is expected to attend the Boao Forum for Asia, similar to the World Economic Forum in Davos, in China's Hainan province on March 30, before heading to Beijing the next day to meet with Xi.

The last talks between the two leaders took place in November 2022 during the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

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Pedro Sanchez