Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is in Beijing, his second cease on a tour of two international locations in Asia who’s on a background of great geopolitical tensions as a consequence of Donald Trump’s tariff warfare.
During his go to to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam Wednesday, Sánchez praised the tariff break as “a door for negotiations and the settlement between the international locations”, after Trump suspended the withdrawals in most international locations, excluding China, for 90 days.
Before his go to, the White House warned the Spanish authorities in opposition to Beijing’s tools.
In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, the Treasury Secretary Scott Besent mentioned that wanting in China as a substitute of the United States could be a “loser guess for the Europeans” and it was like it might be like “chopping your throat”.
Sánchez is the primary European chief to make an official go to to China from the escalation of tariff tensions between the United States and the remainder of the world.
Imbalance in favor of Beijing
The business ranges between Spain and China proceed to extend, however with a marked imbalance in favor of the Asian large.
In 2024, Spanish imports from China exceeded 45 billion euros, whereas exports barely reached 7.4 billion euros, in line with information from the Ministry of Economy.
This locations China because the fourth largest business accomplice in Spain, its second largest items provider, however solely the twelfth most vacation spot for Spanish exports.
“Only multilateralism and solidarity between nations can face all these international challenges. Spain defends a world with open doorways. A world during which commerce unites our folks and makes them extra affluent,” Sánchez mentioned in Vietnam.
Among the merchandise that Spain acquires from China there are equipment, materials and client items. In latest years, the import of vehicles and bikes have additionally acquired significance.
Spanish firms primarily chemical substances, minerals and industrial elements. China has established itself as the primary Asian marketplace for Spanish gross sales and over 14,500 Spanish firms preserve business relations with the nation.
But the figures of bilateral investments are extra balanced, though nonetheless modest.
In 2023, China assigned 131 million euros to initiatives in Spain, whereas Spanish investments in China reached 91 million euros.
Although the volumes are nonetheless small, each economies preserve rising curiosity in strengthening hyperlinks in strategic sectors comparable to know-how, power and logistics.
China involves the protection of Sánchez
When he was requested of the criticisms of the United States Treasury Secretary of the Visit of Sánchez, the spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Lin Jian replied firmly: “If we speak about” chopping the mutual throat “, it’s exactly the United States which, abusing charges to threaten and b.
ANNOUNCEMENTDuring a press convention on Thursday, Lin additionally said that commerce between Spain and China is necessary for either side, with bilateral commerce between the 2 international locations exceeding 44 billion euros in 2024, whereas Spanish exports to China elevated by 4.3% final yr, in line with Beijing information.
Faced with Washington’s criticisms, Spain’s socialist authorities defended openings in China.
The minister of agriculture Luis Planas insisted that Spain has glorious business relations with China, which “we need to clearly not solely proceed, however to broaden”.
