The Spanish Prime Minister urges China to open up more towards European trade.

The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, called on China on Monday to correct the 'unsustainable' trade imbalance with the European Union, warning that this contributes to 'social suffering' and to 'isolationist' tendencies in Europe. In a speech at Tsinghua University, he emphasized that the EU needs China's help to correct the trade deficit, which increased by 18% last year.

The trade deficit with China accounts for 74% of Spain's total deficit, raising concerns about the economic and social impact. Sánchez highlighted that greater openness from China towards European trade is essential to avoid Europe retreating into isolation. In the context of trade disputes with the US, Sánchez aims to position Spain as a mediator between Beijing and the EU, having scheduled meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

He also advocated for strengthening multilateralism and reforming the UN, emphasizing the importance of the EU as the main global trading bloc. Madrid is also seeking to gain better access to the Chinese market for agricultural and industrial products, as well as to attract new investors to Spain.