Preview: What to expect from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's China visit?

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is set to visit China from Thursday to Friday, in his third trip to the country in three years.

During the visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with Sanchez, and Premier Li Qiang will hold talks with him.

China hopes to take the visit as an opportunity to deepen strategic mutual trust, expand open cooperation, jointly address global challenges and achieve new progress for the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership from a new starting point, said Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday.

Sanchez's visit comes as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union.

A boost of bilateral ties

The Spanish prime minister aims to seek new opportunities in China's open market, enhance bilateral cooperation in key sectors and strengthen bilateral relations during his two-day visit, according to Spanish TV channel Antena 3.

Sanchez last visited China in September 2024, when the two sides signed documents on bilateral cooperation on economy, culture, education, science and technology, and green development.

As the fourth largest economy of the European Union, Spain is China's fifth largest trading partner within the EU, and China is Spain's top trading partner outside the EU.

Bilateral trade has been on the rise in recent years. Trade between China and Spain expanded from $37.9 billion in 2020 to $48.6 billion in 2023, up about 28.23 percent, according to China's customs data.

Spain is also the second-largest automobile producer in Europe and the eighth-largest globally. In April 2024, Chinese carmaker Chery Automobile and Spanish group Ebro-EV Motors launched a joint venture in Barcelona to develop electric vehicles.

This partnership successfully combines Chery's technological expertise with Ebro's brand strength, said Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's national legislature, during the Two Sessions in March.

"By fully utilizing existing facilities with relatively low additional investment, it has revitalized the locally beloved Ebro brand while creating a lot of local jobs," said Lou, adding that the project serves as a shining example of successful collaboration between China and Spain.

The two countries' collaboration extends far beyond economic ties. During a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares Bueno on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in February, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China and Spain have maintained sound communication and coordination in international affairs.

With the current international situation in transformation and turbulence and the world facing the risk of a return to "the law of the jungle," the two countries should jointly practice multilateralism, promote the democratization of international relations, build broad international consensus, and work together toward equal and orderly multipolarity, Wang said.

A rethink on China-EU ties

Sanchez's visit to China comes against the backdrop of global economic turmoil triggered by the United States' imposition of sweeping tariffs on most of its trading partners.

What the U.S. is doing to global trade must push Europe to revise its willingness to find other new partners and open new markets, Sanchez said in Vietnam on Tuesday, according to Bloomberg. Sanchez began his Asian tour in Vietnam before heading to China.

He called on the EU to review its relationship with China. The situation with the U.S. means everybody needs to adapt, and this includes Europe changing its position toward China, but also China toward Europe, Sanchez said, according to Bloomberg.

Asked about what role China believes Spain and the EU can play in mitigating an ongoing trade war between Beijing and Washington on Wednesday, Lin, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, noted a telephone conversation between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen a day earlier.

During the talks over the phone, the two leaders stressed the importance of safeguarding free and open trade under the current circumstances. Lin said the telephone conversation is sending a positive message to the world.

Noting that both China and the EU are advocates of economic globalization and trade liberalization and firm defenders and supporters of the World Trade Organization, he said both sides need to jointly safeguard free and open trade and investment, keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded, and provide more stability and certainty to the economy of both sides and the world.

Lin said Spain is an important economy in the EU and also an important cooperation partner of China in the EU.

A China-Spain relationship enjoying strategic stability and committed to open cooperation and mutual benefit is conducive to the improvement and growth of China-EU relations, he added.