“Spain is the clearest example that not all European countries are anti-China!” said a commentator on Chinese state television while footage of the king and queen’s state visit to China was played. Felipe VI Giving a toast in Chinese at a gala dinner hosted by the Supreme Leader Xi Jinping and Madame Letizia They tasted local tea while strolling through a park in Chengdu city and took a group bath at Beijing’s University of Foreign Studies last Thursday.
“Why has the relationship between China and Spain become a model for international exchange?” asked this question in an editorial in a Chinese newspaper. Global Timesalso published in English, is one of the most resonant Chinese Communist Party (CCP) loudspeakers abroad.
“Both countries have always envisioned their bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, respecting each other and contributing to shared success. “This has set a precedent for promoting friendly relations and common development between countries with different histories, cultures and social systems,” he continued. “While some countries are still debating how to position their relations with China, Spain has already taken the decision through concrete actions and systematically opposes any disengagement.”
Government President Pedro Sanchez enters Congress.
Taking advantage of the King’s recent trip (the Minister of Economy was also part of the royal delegation), carlos bodyand that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Alvarez) From Chinese propaganda they continue to feed the idea that anyone who wants to strengthen political and commercial ties with the Asian superpower must follow the pragmatic example of Spain, whose government has launched a major diplomatic offensive against China, including three presidential visits. Sanchez This is the first visit by several ministers and the royal family in 18 years.
Some authoritative voices in China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently pointed out that “the Spanish government was wise and prompt, because in the midst of the current global turmoil, it offered itself for the first time as a bridge between China and the European Union.” However, Spain’s recent position in pushing for the Kings’ trip has not convinced some officials in the EU delegation in Beijing. “Currently, relations with China are at their lowest point,” they say.
The same sources, who have been moving around China’s diplomatic courtyards for many years, recognize that the EU is increasingly trapped in the middle of the conflict between the US and China, and that a “unilateral approach” like Spain’s to the administration makes it clear in public that the EU is incapable of developing a coherent joint strategy regarding the Asian country.
In Brussels, Mr. Sánchez’s close ties to China have caused discomfort among many partners. Diplomatic sources surveyed agreed that the approach was “unusual” and that Spain’s approach stands in contrast to the positions of major economies and the EU itself. Germany, for example, plans to review its trade policies with the country to “reduce risks”, meaning it will refocus policies to avoid over-reliance on the Asian giant.
Italy has long called on the EU to take a common and united stand against China, France has been at odds with Schein, and the Netherlands has gone so far as to nationalize microchip company Nexperia, whose parent company is China’s Wingtech. Therefore, the position of a European power is far from that maintained by Spain, which is much closer to Hungary than to an economic power. According to Hungarian government data, the country will account for a third of all Chinese investment in the EU in 2024, and the Hungarian government’s intention is to deepen this relationship. viktor orban Pedro Sánchez and Xi Jinping will join.
At the European Commission, the official response has been far more restrained. They point out that countries are free to have international relations, but they also don’t like this issue very much. It is true that the criticisms expressed last year when the President of the Spanish government visited China and called for tariffs not to be applied to Chinese electric vehicles during the Brussels-Beijing negotiations no longer exist. At the time, Sanchez was accused of undermining the EU’s negotiating capacity and was reminded that “the European Commission is responsible for the EU’s trade policy.” However, concerns remain, and in fact this week it was agreed to accelerate the imposition of customs duties on parcels valued at less than €150, which were previously unduty-free, in a move directly targeting Tem and Shein shipments from China. Spain’s approach comes at a moment of great geopolitical and commercial complexity. Europe’s weakness is becoming increasingly apparent due to the stranglehold imposed by China and the United States.
« In the first few months donald trump At the White House, it looked like relations between Beijing and Brussels would grow closer and several unresolved conflict fronts would calm down. “However, tensions over the supply of critical minerals sought by the Chinese side have left us in a worse situation than ever before,” the European delegation in Beijing commented. Moreover, while the Spanish king and others visited the Asian country, Chinese officials made no secret of their great anger towards the EU over their surprise speech to the European Parliament this month. Xiao BikimHe is the vice president of Taiwan, an autonomous island that China considers a breakaway province.
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