IRIA News

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrived in Beijing on September 9, 2024, on his second trip to China in two years. During his meeting with the Chinese leadership, Sanchez emphasized the need for “close, deep and balanced relations” between Spain and China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing, focusing on bilateral ties and a range of critical issues, including the Israel-Palestine conflict, Ukraine, and ongoing trade tensions between China and the European Union.

On bilateral relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted that both countries should work for mutual benefits by promoting development in high-tech fields like artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and new energy, adding that China hopes Spain will continue to provide a fair, equitable, safe and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country.

Xi Jinping also urged joint efforts from the two sides to stay committed to inclusiveness and mutual learning, promote friendship between the two peoples, and strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges in the fields of language education, youth, culture, and tourism.

During the Spanish prime minister’s visit to China, both countries signed a number of cooperation agreements in fields such as green development, demonstrating the huge potential and bright prospects of bilateral cooperation.

Sanchez also noted that both Spain and China are committed to safeguarding world peace and multilateralism and that China is a key force for world peace and development and plays an important, constructive role in resolving major international and regional issues.

President Xi Jinping met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez @sanchezcastejon.

Both China and Spain, with a sense of responsibility and mission, call for mutual respect and win-win cooperation between countries and uphold multilateralism and free trade.

Next year will… pic.twitter.com/GC9GMCawz6

— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) September 9, 2024

During his visit to Beijing, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Chinese Premier Li highlighted that China is ready to work with Spain to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, build political mutual trust, and jointly build bilateral relations with a strategic focus.

Li Qiang emphasized that “China is willing to expand two-way opening up with Spain, encourage the development of cross-border e-commerce and convenient logistics, and promote the optimization and development of bilateral trade and investment cooperation.”

Israel-Hamas conflict

One of the central points of conversation between the two leaders was the escalating conflict in Gaza. The death toll from Israeli attacks on Palestinians has now reached nearly 41,000, mostly affecting women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities. The humanitarian crisis has worsened with severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies due to the ongoing blockade of the enclave.

China and Spain have both called for an immediate ceasefire. Sanchez emphasized Spain’s commitment to peace and urged respect for international law. “Spain and China are friendly nations, defenders of peace, and committed to the multilateral order. That is why…it is in our hands to find a joint solution based on respect for international law and the principles contained in the UN Charter,” Sanchez stated.

Spain has become the first European country to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Israel faces accusations of genocide due to its military actions in Gaza. Sanchez highlighted Spain’s desire for “a global, fair and lasting peace” and called on the international community to take action.

Russia-Ukraine war

Sanchez also expressed concern over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reiterating Spain’s support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 10-point peace plan. The plan, originally presented at the 2022 G20 summit in Indonesia, focuses on crucial issues like nuclear safety, food security, and energy stability.

Sanchez stressed the importance of supporting a “fair and lasting peace” in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter’s principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. He urged Xi to engage in dialogue with Zelenskyy to explore diplomatic solutions to the ongoing conflict.

EU-China trade tensions

Beyond geopolitical conflicts, the two leaders discussed trade relations between China and the European Union. The EU is currently considering imposing tariffs of up to 36.3% on Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles (EVs), which could severely impact China’s exports to the European market. In response, China launched retaliatory investigations into European pork and dairy imports, a move that raised concerns about an escalating trade war.

Xi encouraged Spain to play a “constructive role” in resolving tensions between Beijing and Brussels. “It is hoped Spain will continue to play a constructive role in this regard,” Xi stated, emphasizing the importance of deepening cooperation in sectors like artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and new energy.

Sanchez, while acknowledging the need to defend European industries, called for a negotiated resolution to the trade disputes, warning that “a trade war would benefit no one.”

Spain is one of the leading exporters of pork products to China, with a total of $1.5 billion in exports in 2023. Despite concerns about retaliatory measures against European goods, Sanchez and Xi reportedly reached “harmony and understanding” during their discussions on trade. A source close to the meeting indicated that the two leaders had “defended their positions while seeking agreements.”

Sanchez also met with executives from SAIC Motor, one of the Chinese automakers most affected by the EU’s proposed tariffs, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Envision, a green technology company constructing an EV battery plant in Spain.

He also sought assurances that China would not impose higher tariffs on European gasoline-powered vehicles, a possibility that has been floated in Chinese state media. He reiterated the need for Spain and the EU to work collaboratively with China to maintain a fair trade order.