BFSU was the Spanish monarch's first stop in Beijing after arriving Thursday on a five-day visit to China to attend activities marking the 30th anniversary of Sino-Spanish diplomatic ties.

At BFSU, Queen Sofia presented three Chinese scholars with the Cross of the Order of Isabel the Catholic for their remarkable achievements in bilateral cultural exchanges.

The activities were also held to celebrate the "Contemporary Spain and Latin America" doctoral-level class held in October last year between BFSU and Madrid Autonomous University.

BFSU signed an agreement with the Spanish university in 1984 for exchanges between the two academic institutions, which have since exchanged professors and students.

Felipe de Borbon y Grecia, the Crown Prince of Spain, visited BFSU in 2000.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2003)