BEIJING (Reuters) -The Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday Felipe VI, the king of Spain, will pay a state visit to China from November 10 to November 13, the first by a Spanish monarch in 18 years, as Madrid seeks to bolster Chinese investment and boost trade ties.
China is willing to join hands with Spain to seize the opportunity presented by the king’s visit to expand mutual cooperation and enhance the two countries’ strategic partnership, Mao Ning, spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a regular news briefing.
Spain has actively wooed China economically despite U.S. warnings about moving closer to the world’s second-biggest economy.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has visited China three times in as many years, most recently in the spring of this year. During a visit in September 2024, Sanchez announced a reversal of Spain’s position in support of the EU applying tariffs to Chinese electric vehicles.
Several Chinese investments in Spain have also been confirmed, including factories for battery maker CATL and renewable energy group Envision.
The European Union, on the whole, remains cautious over economic engagement with China, concerned about trade imbalances, Beijing’s relationship with Russia, and its dominance of the global supply of critical minerals.
Beijing’s approach to EU member states – ostensibly showing favour to Beijing-friendly nations such as Spain – has also made it harder for the bloc to form a unified approach to dealing with China.
Earlier this year, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticised Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo’s suggestion that Europe should align more closely with China.
“That would be cutting your own throat,” Bessent said, adding China would produce too many goods and dump them elsewhere.
However, since Xi met U.S. President Donald Trump in South Korea last week, and agreed a one-year deal to partially roll back trade and technology controls, tensions between Beijing and Washington have eased for now after a volatile year.
(Reporting by Ryan Woo and Xiuhao Chen; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Kate Mayberry)
