Spanish monarchy seen from China

Even after several decades, knowledge about the Spanish monarchy in the Asian country has not necessarily deepened. Therefore, this Monday, King Felipe VI will land in China together with Queen Letizia, intending that the development of bilateral relations will not only accelerate, but also be substantial.

“The truth is that Chinese people don’t know much about the Spanish monarchy,” admits Shi Jiqing, a professor of international relations specializing in Europe at the prestigious Tsinghua University. “The general perception is that the president of the government is primarily responsible for political management. The monarch is rather seen as a symbolrepresentative of the nation. “That’s why I think ordinary people and even intellectuals are not very clear about the role of the King of Spain in public life,” he added.

As always, family and even aesthetics help. Yanhui, the 50-year-old owner of a lacquered duck restaurant in central Beijing, once fell in love with Pedro Sanchez. “How handsome he is, he looks like Alain Delon,” she thought as she stroked his features on the screen of her phone. The joy of welcoming the King this Monday does not compensate for the discomfort of learning that the Princess of Asturias will not accompany him. “They’re all very handsome,” the woman said resignedly.

Rafael Martín Rodríguez, who taught international relations classes at Fudan University for six years, is dedicated to turning this superficiality into a starting point and tells his first anecdote. «The first question was always whether the king would rule.So I ended up explaining the whole transition to my students. They immediately drew comparisons with the British monarchy, which had more knowledge,” explains the co-author of Introduction to Modern China (Alianza Editorial, 2024).

The unique image of a constitutional monarch reveals two contradictory aspects in China. On the one hand, its apolitical nature facilitates interaction. On the other hand, the fact that the head of state lacks effective power poses a conceptual challenge to the hierarchical and increasingly individualistic system, under the orders of Xi Jinping, who will be hosting a private banquet for the kings at his official residence this Tuesday.

symbol of maturity

Felipe VI’s arrival will be the first visit by a Spanish monarch in 18 years. “The King of England or the Emperor of Japan rarely participate in diplomatic exchanges, so when they visit a country, it shows how important that relationship is,” Shi says. “The same thing will happen this time. I believe that the King’s visit symbolizes the maturity, stability and depth of China-Spain cooperation.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently expressed itself in a similar vein, saying:A meaningful journey» To “exchange views on bilateral relations and international issues of common interest.” “Under the strategic direction of the leaders of the two countries, Sino-Spanish relations have maintained a high level of development in recent years,” the organization added, revisiting common misconceptions about the role of the monarch.

Now, with the presence of Don Felipe and Doña Letizia, Spain intends to establish a new model of exchange, and this desire is expressed on a symbolic level by refusing to visit the famous panda reserve via Chengdu. These animals had already appeared in Deng Xiaoping’s trip to King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia in 1978. He gave them some.

Group officials have emphasized that the visit is a strategic focus and a rebuilding of relations with China. means not reproducing past gestures. My curiosity about the crown was satisfied, or at least I was satisfied.