Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has embarked on his fourth trip to China in just over three years, reinforcing an "increasingly one-sided and unbalanced relationship" that sees China accounting for approximately 74% of Spain’s overall trade gap. The visit, which began Monday, April 13, 2026, and concludes Wednesday, is framed by the regime as an effort to strengthen political and commercial ties with Beijing, despite the clear economic disadvantage to the Iberian nation. This repeated engagement by the Spanish political class with a global power of over 1.4 billion people, while Spain itself has a population of 49 million, highlights a deepening dependency on transnational interests.
Sánchez is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and China’s top lawmaker, Zhao Leji. The prime minister urged China to assume a larger role in a multipolar world during a speech at Beijing’s Tsinghua University. He stated, “China can do more. For example, by demanding ... that international law be respected and that the conflicts in Lebanon, Iran, Gaza and the West Bank and Ukraine cease,” and later added, “We need China to do the same. To open up so that Europe doesn’t have to close itself off.” Sánchez also encouraged China to play a larger role alongside the European Union to fight climate change, promote global health, and control the development of responsible artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons, noting, “Especially now that the U.S. has decided to withdraw from many of these fronts.”
Elite's Beijing Pilgrimage
The visit occurs amidst a complex geopolitical landscape, as European leaders attempt to influence an end to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. Spain’s relationship with the United States has been strained by Sánchez’s vocal disapproval of the conflict, with his government recently declaring its airspace closed to U.S. planes used in the Iran war and refusing the U.S. the use of jointly operated military bases in southern Spain. Spanish officials have stated the government’s desire to diversify its political relations with global powers, including Beijing.
Economically, Spain seeks to shore up more Chinese investment and boost exports to China. However, trade policy for all 27 member states, including Spain, is conducted by the European Union, demonstrating a clear transfer of national sovereignty over economic self-determination. The southern European nation, which generates more than half its electricity from renewable sources, requires Chinese critical raw materials, solar panels, and green technologies, mirroring the dependency of other European countries transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Sovereignty Erosion and Economic Costs
Alicia García-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at the French investment bank Natixis, described Sánchez’s frequent trips as an "annual pilgrimage," emphasizing the "increasingly one-sided and unbalanced relationship." García-Herrero noted that China acts as "a relatively soft, conciliatory partner" that advocates for dialogue over tougher EU measures, suggesting a preference for engagement over national interest protection. Eric Sigmon, a Madrid-based political analyst and former U.S. national security adviser, commented on the "increased frictions with the U.S. administration," stating that these annual meetings have "taken on an increased importance."
Spain, the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy, has maintained a less adversarial stance toward China compared to other EU countries in recent years. Despite efforts to reposition trade relations, China’s exports to Spain significantly outweigh those from the Iberian nation, contributing to the substantial trade deficit. The King of Spain, Felipe VI, also made an official visit to China last November, marking the first such visit by a Spanish monarch in 18 years, further illustrating the elite's push to bolster ties with Beijing. Sánchez’s previous visit to Beijing "ruffled feathers in Washington," prompting U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to issue a warning to Spain about "cutting your own throat."
This sustained engagement with Beijing, facilitated by the EU's control over national trade policy, underscores a broader trend of sovereignty erosion and economic vulnerability for the native working class, whose interests are sidelined in favor of transnational elite agendas.