Barcelona aims to become the gateway for Chinese investment in the Mediterranean

China is now one of the most coveted markets. In the middle of financial crisis, the Asian giant draws chest with a slash economic growth that still 10% and with the greatest volume of foreign-exchange reserves in the world. Since yesterday, more than 600 chairmen and CEOs from around the world, but particularly Asians, are meeting at the Global Chinese Business Meeting, a sort of Davos on this country which this year takes place in Barcelona with Casa Asia as host. And at a dinner packed with executives from the world's fourth investor, the city ran as the platform to be the gateway of the Chinese capital on both sides of the Mediterranean. Tibet protest The news on other websites Websites in Spanish in other languages Seven out of 10 Chinese immigrants are customers of La Caixa "The new century began on Aug. 8, 2008." With this reference to the date of the inauguration of the Olympic Games in Beijing, the foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, summed up the key role that China develops. Its growing world power is overwhelming. Is already the second largest exporter and the third importer worldwide. "There is no doubt that the twenty-first century will be their century," said the director general of La Caixa, Juan Maria Nin. Therefore, the Catalan government made clear to the Chinese entrepreneurs to Barcelona, the brand-new headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean, should be the platform for landing the country in the Asian region. The president of the Generalitat, Jose Montilla, said that one of the strengths is the port of the Catalan capital, with traffic in several Chinese cities growing at a rate of 30% annually. "Our ambition is to be the gateway for Latin American and Euro-Asia," he said. All institutions were ordered deseeded the many political, economic and cultural factors that have been reached with China, especially with uprooted strategic agreement signed in the La Moncloa in 2004, in which Spain became a preferred partner of the Asian country. But they are also cultural links. The Catalan capital will be in the Innovation & Design Expo in Hong Kong in December and the Shanghai Expo 2010, and that year will host the forum between Spain and China. "Barcelona, headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean, is the natural gateway to Asia in the region," the mayor of the city, Jordi Hereu. "China is the great engine in the eyes of everyone," added the Minister of Industry, Miguel Sebastian. And the sectors where Spain can drive the tooth are better, according to Sebastian, infrastructure, renewable energy, biotechnology, financial, telecommunications and water treatment. In addition China has a presence through immigration, which is an important colony, recalled Montilla, with a big "business and commercial dynamism." Another opportunity that takes advantage of, for example, La Caixa, which with 80,000 buyers from China Cup almost 70% of the entire community in Spain. Added to this is its market share of 10% as an intermediary in trade flows between both countries and their share of 9.9% in Bank of East Asia. La Caixa is considering further open its second office in China. Tibet protest The meeting brings together authorities in China and Singapore, but also to managers of the largest energy companies, telecoms and banks of the Asian giant. Therefore, two groups gathered at the entrance to the Maritime Museum to protest the backwardness of China on respect for human rights. One group focused on abuchear to the floor and chant "Freedom for Tibet!". Another, with members of Amnesty International, remained silent for reporting that the meeting (to which they are not opposed) does not address human rights case to which it referred, albeit in a shy, Miguel Angel Moratinos