Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is in Beijing for his fourth visit in four years, presenting Spain as a bridge between China and the European Union as tensions with the United States strain transatlantic relations.
Sánchez said from Beijing that “it is in Spain’s and Europe’s interests to strengthen ties with China.” The trip is focused on deepening economic cooperation with the world’s second-largest economy and rebalancing trade relations that Madrid views as unsustainable.
Sánchez described the trade relationship as carrying an “excessive” deficit. Spain’s trade gap with China has more than doubled in four years, reaching nearly $50 billion in 2025, and China now accounts for approximately 74% of Spain’s total trade deficit, figures the prime minister called unsustainable over the long term.
Following talks between Spanish and Chinese officials, agreements were announced to expand Chinese market access for Spanish agricultural products and to support development in Spain’s transport and infrastructure sectors. In a post on X, Sánchez framed the deals as steps toward a more balanced, globalized economy that delivers shared prosperity, urging continued progress toward “a multipolar order built on respect and pragmatism.”
Sánchez’s outreach to Beijing comes amid elevated tensions with Washington over Spain’s stance on the conflict in Iran. The Spanish government opposed military action in the region, a position that has contributed to friction with the United States. The visit follows public threats by former U.S. President Donald Trump to cut trade ties with Spain after Madrid refused to allow U.S. forces to use its bases for strikes against Iran, a country Pérez described in talks as an important economic partner of Beijing.
The prime minister also welcomed China’s efforts to help resolve the conflict in the Middle East, saying Beijing can play an “important” role in pursuing diplomatic solutions that bring stability and peace. He said countries that have not taken part in the fighting are “not only welcome, but also absolutely necessary” to mediation efforts.
Speaking at Beijing’s Tsinghua University, Sánchez warned that international law is being repeatedly undermined and called for closer cooperation to promote peace and prosperity. He urged China to take on a more substantial role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, security, defense, and inequality, and said Europe must step up as the United States retreats from leadership on multiple fronts.
In talks with President Xi Jinping, Sánchez pressed for reforms to the multilateral system to better reflect “the multipolar reality of today’s world.” President Xi warned against a return to the “law of the jungle,” saying global order faces growing chaos and that deeper China-Spain ties serve both countries’ interests.
Sánchez’s visit comes as several Western capitals cautiously pursue warmer ties with Beijing despite ongoing security and trade frictions and concerns over human rights, reflecting broader unease with U.S. policy under President Donald Trump and a shifting global balance of power.