Sanchez defends the approach to Beijing in full crisis with the US: « Spain sees China as an EU partner » | Spain

The approach between Spain and China is a fact. Pedro Sánchez and Xi Jinping, the leaders of both countries, have sanctioned with a meeting in Beijing and kind words of clear political content their new relationship, in which Spanish has deepened the idea that « Spain sees China as an EU partner », A clear political terminology. The EU, officially, defines this country as « partner, competitor and systemic rival », but Sánchez, who assures that he has the support of Úrsula von der Leyen, defends a new vision of Beijing in the context of the new isolation of the US More balanced between the EU and China.

At the meeting with the Spanish prime minister, the leader of the Asian giant has also transferred symbolic words of approach at a time of Total shock with Washington for the commercial war unleashed by Donald Trump. « The more turbulent and changing the international situation, the more important it will be to maintain a good development of non-Spanish relationships, » XI summarized, which until now had not mentioned the crisis of tariffs with the United States and has entered collaterally for the first time against Sánchez, although without expressly speaking of Washington’s decision.

The Chinese tradition is that the first greetings of the meetings are made publicly, with the cameras in front. And there has been seen not only the closeness in words, but also in gestures, with the arrival of the two leaders together to the meeting. Sanchez answers the threats that Trump administration had launched before this trip and the approach to Beijing, which the Spanish president endorses with this key meeting. The President of the Government seeks to respond thus also to internal criticisms in Spain, especially of the PP. Sanchez is the first international leader who visits President XI since the commercial war broke out with the US, now intensified by Trump’s decision of Suspend all tariffs except those that have established with China, which reach 145%.

In the press conference, Sánchez has asked the PP « to put the general interest and the height of the state before the extraordinary challenges » that crosses the world. The president insists on avoiding the clash with Trump, and argues that it is compatible to travel to Beijing and reinforce ties with China with maintaining a good relationship with Washington. « Spanish foreign policy is not against anyone and is consistent with that of previous governments, » said the president as a message to the PP, to remind him that Mariano Rajoy also traveled to China and sought the proximity of XI.

Sanchez has shown his most diplomatic side on this trip, and has avoided loading Trump. In fact, the press conference has concluded with a call to dialogue between the first and second world economic power: « No one wins in the commercial war, the world needs both China and the US to speak. »

The closeness between the two leaders has been very evident. « This is the third visit to China in three years, » XI himself recalled against Sánchez. « It is a sample of the high importance that you attribute and also your firm will to deepen bilateral relations, so I express my appreciation. In the last meetings, both you and I agree to create a non-Spanish relationships of strategic determination and cooperation of shared profits, » he insisted. « Currently, the accelerated evolution of world changes has never seen if a century is intertwined with the multiple risks and challenges. And in this context, only with solidarity and collaboration between countries we can defend the global peace and stability and promote global development and prosperity. »

XI has stressed « that there are no victors in a tariff war, and that opposing the world only leads to isolation. » The statements are of extreme importance. It is the first time that he speaks of the commercial war since the last escalation. The Chinese president stressed that for more than 70 years, the development of China « has always been based on self -sufficiency and hard work, without depending on anyone, nor fear unjustified repression, » he said, according to the official Reading of Beijing collected by state media.

XI also recalled that Sánchez recently published an article with the president of Brazil, Lula de Silva, and that of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, “making a call to give a new boost to multilateralism, defend the common interests of all humanity and rejecting the replication towards the isolation, unilateral actions or disruptions, showing their strategic visions and strategic views rational ”. Thus, Xi was telling Sanchez that both agree to openly reject Trump’s turn. From the strategic point of view, XI also defended, as Sánchez, that it is necessary to « boost Sino-Europeas relations and make a greater contribution to the promotion of peace, stability and development of the world. »

Even so, the president of the Government has put a nuance that always places in his visits to China, and that refers to the huge commercial deficit that Spain has and the EU with the Asian giant, and that is also due, according to the complaints of the Europeans, to the difficulties that the Chinese puts the products and foreign companies. That is why Sanchez has talked about « balanced relationships. » Spain in fact takes four agreements to facilitate Spanish exports to China, including pig, a very relevant issue because it is more than 1.2 billion euros each year for the Spanish industry, and also of cosmetics, health products and medications. Sánchez has also taken the opportunity to try to finish high investments of Chinese companies in Spain that are mature, and has been seen with several local entrepreneurs.

Sanchez showed a clear political approach with XI: « I value as a gesture of respect and friendship towards Spain this bilateral meeting that proves our mutual interest in maintain The approach between our societies ”.

In this regard, the president of the Government has indicated that he wishes to “promote the learning of our languages, the academic and scientific exchange and the knowledge of our immense cultural heritage through tourism”, and has told XI that Spain “is a deeply Europeanist country that sees China as a partner of the European Union, and Europe is a project of peace and democracy, progress and economic openness, of commitment to multilateral order and international solidarity,” he said.

Sanchez has also highlighted other issues in which Spain approaches China and He moves away from the new positions of Washington, who has left the Paris agreement. « To deal with the challenges of humanity is urgent. We cannot postpone it. The climatic emergency, the wars that do not cease, the fight against poverty and access to the financing of the most vulnerable countries require a joint and determined action by the international community, » the Spanish insisted.

In the meeting, XI has also assured that despite the « changes in the outside environment » – without directly referring to the United States – « China will maintain its trust and determination and focus on its own matters, » according to the official version of Beijing.

The Chinese leader has talked about China and the EU as « two of the world’s main economies, firm party of economic globalization and free trade. » His words arrive at a time when Beijing and Brussels emphasize their ties and have an approach in the middle of the turbulent geopolitical and commercial scenario. Both form « a close economic symbiosis, » XI said. « China and the EU must fulfill their international responsibilities, jointly safeguard the trend of economic globalization and the just international commercial environment, and jointly resist unilateral and intimidating practices. » Again, Trump’s swipe to the World Commercial Board, present in the conversation, but without being mentioned directly.

The Chinese president, at all times, has expressed the value of the long relationship with Spain: « The more complex and uncertain the international situation is, the more important the stable and positive development of relations between China and Spain becomes. » The friendship between the two countries, he said, « is the correct choice of the two peoples based on traditional friendship, current needs and long -term interests. » And highlighted the disposition of the People’s Republic of China to work with Spain in pointers such as new energies, high -tech manufacturing, and smart cities.