Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez to meet Xi in China next month
Published in 24 March, 2025
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will travel to China in April to meet President Xi Jinping, a government spokesperson said.
Sanchez will also visit Vietnam during his trip to Asia, the spokesperson said.
The trip comes as the European Union is rethinking its global trading relationships amid turmoil caused by US President Donald Trump’s trade war.
Sanchez last visited China in September when he sought to defuse trade tensions between the European Union and Beijing over tariffs on China-manufactured electric vehicles.
The European Union followed through on the tariffs, which are meant to prevent European manufacturers from being overwhelmed by state-subsidised competition from China.
Sanchez’s visit will take place over the 20th anniversary of a partnership agreement between Spain and China, according to people familiar with the plans. In Vietnam, the Spanish government aims to open new market opportunities.
On Thursday, the Chinese ambassador in Madrid lauded Sanchez’s “pragmatic approach” and said companies from his country are negotiating an additional €3 billion (US$3.3 billion) of investments in Spain. That is on top of roughly €7 billion already announced since September, mostly in the car sector.