On May 13, 2022, China-Europe Association for Technical and Economic Cooperation (CEATEC) and Madrid Investment Attraction (MIA) successfully held an online industry exchange meeting. The two sides had an in-depth discussion on smart cities, artificial intelligence, and the automobile industry.

Chen Jingyue, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of CEATEC, said CEATEC was willing to fully utilize its advantage as a platform and window for foreign exchange and work closely with MIA to promote the economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and Spanish corporations.

Amaya Gil from MIA Artificial Intelligence Center said that the Madrid municipal government has been promoting corporate innovation for twenty years. In 2019, the government began to vigorously support start-ups and SMEs in developing artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain, among other industries. Madrid corporations have received tremendous assistance from the government when developing these new technologies and new application fields. They wish to conduct exchanges with more Chinese corporations, secure more high-quality industry projects and create more collaboration opportunities.

Javier Alonso from MIA Artificial Intelligence Center said that the Center was established to follow the current technological development trend and help innovative start-ups in Madrid make greater progress and expand market share. Madrid has been holding innovation meetings since 2017, and each edition has attracted large numbers of innovative corporations and tens of thousands of audiences.

Jaime Barea, Corporate Director of the Spanish Automobile Sales and Repair Association, also attended the meeting. Jaime introduced the general situation of the automobile market in Spain and in Madrid specifically, pointing out that the local automobile market will embrace digitalization, electrification, and smart technologies and the new travel mode will have a profound impact on the industry. Madrid's new energy vehicle sector will register fast growth in the future and China's new energy corporations are welcome to settle down in Spain.

(Note: After CEATEC completes an institutional reform, its foreign affairs work will be overseen by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality.)