The deals involving the banking, energy, transport and telecommunications companies were signed after Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero met with China's Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

State-owned Spanish National Radio and other media outlets said the deals were valued at some 5.6 billion euros ($7.5 billion) but Zapatero's office could immediately confirm this.

A statement on the government's website said Li had expressed support for Spain's economy and urged Chinese businesses to invest in Spain during his meeting with Zapatero.

Earlier this week, Li wrote in Spanish daily El Pais that China was confident Spain would emerge from the economic crisis and added that it would continue to buy the country's public debt as a show of support.

The visit was important for Spain, which is emerging from nearly two years of recession with a euro zone high unemployment rate of 20 percent and a massive deficit.

Li later met with King Juan Carlos and Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez.

The vice premier started of the day with a breakfast with some 100 business leaders from both countries.

On Tuesday, he met with Finance Minister Elena Salgado and Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian. A Finance Ministry statement said the two had discussed bilateral relations and the economic situation on in Spain, the European Union and China.

No press conferences were planned during the three-day visit, which began Tuesday.

Spain's connections with China have been growing since the countries signed a strategic association during a visit by President Hu Jintao in 2005.

Li is also to visit Britain and Germany.

China will continue to buy Spanish bonds to support Spain in combating the euro zone's sovereign debt crisis, Li said in comments published by the ministry of foreign affairs.

Li's comments to his host, Salgado, are the latest signs of China's willingness to step in to shore up European finances.

"China is a long-term and responsible investor in the Spanish bond market, and China has not reduced, but even increased, its investments of Spanish bonds, and China will continue to look into the market and to continue buying," Li said.

Li's comments echo his earlier remarks in an editorial in a Spanish newspaper, El Pais, on Monday.

"China is a responsible, long-term investor in the European financial market and particularly in Spain, and we have confidence in the Spanish financial market, which has meant the acquisition of its public debt, something which we will continue to do in the future," Li wrote.

Spain has come under increasing pressure from international debt markets on concerns it may be forced to follow Greece and Ireland and seek an EU or International Monetary Fund bailout, but while bond yields have risen, demand for Spanish debt remains solid.

In December, a Portuguese newspaper reported that China was ready to buy 4-5 billion euros of Portuguese sovereign debt to help the country ward off market pressure, while Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao offered in October to buy Greek bonds when Athens resumed issuing.