Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday described China’s trade imbalance with the European Union as “unsustainable,” as he began a three-day visit to Beijing aimed at strengthening economic ties.
The trip marks Sánchez’s fourth visit to China in as many years, as he seeks to position Spain as a bridge between Beijing and the 27-member EU, at a time when transatlantic relations with the United States are showing signs of strain.
Tariffs and an unpredictable foreign policy under US President Donald Trump have unsettled Western leaders, prompting officials from countries including Britain, Canada and Germany to step up engagement with Beijing in recent months.
Even so, Sánchez stressed that EU-China trade remains deeply imbalanced, urging Beijing to open its markets to European goods.
“We need China to open up so that Europe does not have to close itself off,” he said during a speech at Tsinghua University.
He called on Beijing to “help correct the current trade deficit… a deficit that grew by a further 18 percent last year alone and is unsustainable for our societies in the medium and long term.”
Spain, with a population of around 50 million, recorded a €42.3 billion ($49.1 billion) trade deficit with China last year—a country of more than 1.4 billion people. Sánchez noted that this accounts for roughly 74 percent of Spain’s overall trade deficit.
The Spanish leader is also looking to boost economic ties with China after Trump last month threatened to cut trade with Spain, following Madrid’s refusal to allow US military bases on its territory to be used for strikes against Iran, a key partner of Beijing.
Government sources said a central aim of the visit is to secure greater access for Spanish agricultural and industrial exports, while exploring joint ventures in the technology sector.
Sánchez is also expected to court investment for the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy and seek access to China’s critical raw materials.
On Monday, he is scheduled to visit the headquarters of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi and tour a technology exhibit at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
He will meet senior Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, on Tuesday.
During a previous visit in April 2025, Beijing agreed to expand market access for Spanish products such as pork and cherries. Spain says its exports to China rose 6.8 percent in 2025, reflecting strengthening bilateral ties.
Spain as a ‘gateway’
Spain holds growing appeal for Chinese investors, partly due to its relatively strong economic growth and lower energy costs, said Claudio Feijoo, a China expert at the Technical University of Madrid.
“China sees Spain as relatively friendly and less confrontational than other countries, with more independence from Washington,” he said, adding that this allows for more autonomous decision-making.
Spain is also viewed as a strategic gateway to Europe, Latin America and North Africa, offering access to multiple markets from a single base.
Agricultural exports present particular potential, he noted, as China cannot fully meet its domestic food demand at the quality expected by consumers, while Spain is a major global producer.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning described Spain as “an important partner” within the EU, saying Sánchez’s visit offers an opportunity to elevate bilateral ties further.
The trip follows a state visit to China last November by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano—the first by a Spanish monarch in 18 years—underscoring the growing closeness between the two countries.
Sánchez, one of Europe’s few remaining left-leaning leaders, is travelling with his wife, Begoña Gómez, and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.
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