Pedro Sánchez in China: Spain Pushes EU Toward Stronger Ties with Beijing

Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, paid a visit to China. He has already met with the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, and stated that strengthening ties with China is in the interests of Europe.

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Beijing, China

Strengthening Ties with China Seen as Strategic Priority

"China should view Europe, as well as Spain, as a place for investment, and also as a partner for the implementation of industrial projects. I firmly believe that it is in the interests of Spain and Europe to strengthen ties with China,” the head of the Spanish government said.

According to him, one of the goals of the trip to Beijing is "to move toward economic relations that should be much closer, healthier, and more balanced.”

Trade Imbalance Remains a Key Concern

Sánchez believes that "the current trade imbalance between Europe and China, as well as between Spain and the PRC, is excessive,” and therefore everything possible should be done to correct it.

The Prime Minister also reported that during the visit he plans to sign ten economic agreements.

European Leaders Increasingly Engage with China

This current trip by Sánchez to China is his fourth in four years. In November 2025, the King of Spain, Felipe VI, paid his first official visit to the People's Republic of China.

Not only the Spanish are active. In January-February of this year, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, the Prime Minister of Ireland, Micheál Martin, the Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, and the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, also visited Beijing.

For the first time in eight years, from March 31 to April 2, 2026, a delegation of the European Parliament visited China. It was headed by the Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Anna Cavazzini. During their visit to Beijing and Shanghai, MEPs discussed issues of digital trade, e-commerce, and product safety standards.

Signal to Washington and Growing Tensions

Of course, such activity is not accidental. In this way, the European Union is signaling to the United States that it is not the only option. And if the current administration attempts to increase pressure on Europe, it will find ways to compensate for that pressure elsewhere.

Washington does not turn a blind eye at such a development. For example, after Starmer's visit to China, Donald Trump called rapprochement with Beijing "very dangerous” for Britain.

Canada also received a warning after Prime Minister Mark Carney concluded economic agreements with China. Trump threatened Ottawa with tariffs, making it clear that he would not tolerate allies "moving” into the Chinese camp.

The American press also views a possible rapprochement between Europe and China as a threat, even outlets critical of Trump. Although it is emphasized that it is the US president himself who is pushing Europe toward such a rapprochement with his policies, the process is nevertheless criticized in US media as a strategic mistake on the part of Europeans.

No Full Pivot Yet, But Clear Signals

At the same time, it should be understood that there is no talk yet of a real pivot of Europe toward China. The signals to Washington are more than transparent, but for now they remain signals — albeit ones that irritate the Americans.

Europeans insist on eliminating what they call the imbalance in trade with China. As part of addressing this imbalance, increased customs tariffs were introduced on Chinese automotive equipment, which became a serious irritant in bilateral relations.

Trade Figures Highlight the Imbalance

Here it is also necessary to pay attention to the figures. In 2025, total trade turnover between China and the European Union amounted to 828.1 billion dollars, an increase of 5.4 percent compared to 2024.

At the same time, China's exports to EU countries totaled 559.9 billion dollars (plus 8.4 percent), while imports from the EU amounted to 268.2 billion dollars (minus 0.4 percent).

The difference is significant, which is why Europeans are concerned. But it is also true that no one is interested in reducing trade turnover between China and the EU. Therefore, despite all disagreements, it will definitely not come to a rupture — regardless of what is thought about it in Washington.