US Treasury Secretary criticizes Spain for the approach to China: « It would be like cutting off the neck » | Spain
The Secretary of the United States Treasury, Scott Besent, has failed on Wednesday the attitude of the Spanish government before the tariff offensive of President Donald Trump. At a Conference of the US Banqueros Association, held in New York, Besent, a firm defender of the taxes, has cited Pedro Sánchez’s statements during his official visit to Vietnam about supporting China, which on Wednesday has responded with 84% tariffs to the US.
“In terms of climbing, unfortunately the greatest actor in the global trade system is China, and it is the only country that has climbed. I can say to the rest of the world that… I am not sure whether the prime minister (Sánchez) or the Minister of Economy of Spain (Carlos body) made some comments this morning (in the sense that) all, well, we should align more with China. The US is going to keep out, (because) the Chinese business model is, for all who can remember it, like that Disney movie of the brooms breaking the water cubes ”
In an informal conversation with journalists who cover their official trip to Vietnam and China, Sánchez He considered that Europe must change his gaze to China And also in reverse and was convinced that Spain can play a more balanced alliance builder role between both parties.
Besent, who works in the new fiscal legislation that will probably be presented this summer, has compared the Chinese business model, « for those who can remember it, with that Disney film of the brooms carrying water cubes, that is the Chinese business model. They never stop. They continue to produce and produce and pull, and that goes somewhere dumping and the flood of cheap Chinese products in the US market. In a nod to the US countries of the United States, Besent has concluded his reproach by stating that « at the end of the day we probably can reach the ideal of an agreement with the allies, with other countries that have been long -term good military allies, although not perfect economic allies, and then we can approach China as a group. » Spain, reluctant as a member of NATO to obey Trump’s mandate to allocate 5% of GDP to the organization, does not seem military among the « good military allies » quoted by Besent; Sánchez’s statements in Hanói do not match that of a « perfect economic ally. »
From Ciudad Ho Chi Minh, where he participates in the trip to Vietnam and China of the Spanish Government, the Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas, tried to soften the controversy, and said that those words of the US Treasury Secretary had been pronounced at a dinner, subtracting importance, and that it is not clear if he referred to Spain. But in any case he insisted that Spain will maintain not only the trip to Beijing but the extension of relations with China at this time, which is what bothers the Trump administration, he informs Carlos E. Cué. « The Government of Spain defends the interests of Spain in the framework of the EU. We have excellent commercial relations with China, which we obviously intend to continue but expand. This is not contradictory either by Spain or by the EU. Expand commercial relations with such an important partner as China is not to the detriment of anyone, but each one has to take out their lessons of this issue, » said Planas. The minister recalled that the president of the European Commission, Úrsula von der Leyen, « has appealed to dialogue with China. » Planas ensures that the Spanish government is « very quiet » with its position and with this trip, although it is presumable that there may be more controversy with the US when Sánchez meets Friday with Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, at this time of maximum tension with Washington.
