Spain and China are cosying up - to the anger of many in the EU

What the report says

Spain’s closer ties with China are drawing scrutiny from other EU governments, according to the BBC, as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez continues to court Beijing while Brussels grows more wary of Chinese economic and security influence. The report says the warming relationship was visible in Barcelona, where Shanghai was named the guest city of honour at the La Merce festival, and where Chinese cultural performers joined Catalan traditions in public celebrations.

The BBC says Sanchez has met Chinese President Xi Jinping four times in four years and has urged the EU to improve relations with China at a time when many European leaders are taking a tougher line. Germany and France are pushing for stronger tools to block subsidised Chinese imports, while some EU states are also concerned about Beijing’s relationship with Russia and the risk of greater dependence on Chinese investment.

The article highlights growing Chinese business activity in Spain, including investment in battery plants and car manufacturing, as well as the presence of companies such as Chery, Hithium and CATL. It also notes criticism of Spain’s decision to give Huawei a contract to manage sensitive judicial wiretap data, which several MEPs warned could create wider security risks for the EU.

More broadly, the BBC frames Spain’s approach as part of a wider European debate over how to balance trade, security and strategic autonomy as trust in the United States becomes less certain under Donald Trump. The issue matters because it reflects possible friction inside the EU over how member states should respond to China’s growing role in Europe.