China Spain Photo: VCG

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day China visit. In the face of growing uncertainties and mounting tariff pressure,mk Sánchez's visit to China carries significance in tackling common challenges, Chinese experts said on Thursday. 

Sánchez arrived in Beijing on Thursday evening, CGTN reported. This visit marks his third trip to China within three years. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with him, and Premier Li Qiang will hold talks with him, according to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian. 

The visit makes him the first European head of government to meet President Xi since US government announced the new tariffs last week, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. 

Spain is an important cooperative partner for China within the EU. The two sides have always adhered to the principles of mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual benefit. Our bilateral relations are at the forefront of China's ties with European countries. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership. China hopes to take this visit as an opportunity to deepen strategic mutual trust between the two sides, expand open cooperation, jointly address global challenges, and achieve new progress for the China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership from a new starting point, according to Lin. 

The latest round of US tariff measures affects both China and Europe, to a certain extent, pushing the two sides closer together on trade-related issues, Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

"It is imperative for China and the EU to jointly confront this challenge, as US unilateralist policies would severely damage the globalization and multilateral trading system that underpins China-EU cooperation," Cui said. 

A day ahead of Sánchez's visit, Spanish agriculture minister Luis Planas was quoted as saying in a report by Reuters on Wednesday that Spain will pursue closer trade ties with China in the interests of its citizens and of the EU, rejecting a US warning that moving closer to the Asian country would be "cutting your own throat." The comments were made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who has recently criticized Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo's suggestion that Europe should more closely align with China.

When asked about recent comments made by Bessent, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that "speaking of 'cutting the throat,' the US threat and blackmail against the rest of the world with tariffs is a real attempt to choke the throat of other countries and bully them into making a compromise or concessions."

The relationship between China and Spain is a vital component of the relations between China and the EU. Last year, the total trade between China and Spain topped $50 billion and Spain's exports to China grew by 4.3 percent. In recent years the bilateral cooperation on the new energy industry has boosted green and low-carbon development, Lin said. 

"The two countries maintain communication in the multilateral cooperation and jointly uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the WTO-centered multilateral trading system," Lin said, "Just like the friendly ties between China and other countries, the cooperation between China and Spain always serves as a driving force for both countries' economic growth and delivers tangibly for the two peoples, and contributes to world stability and development."

Enhanced coordination 

Sanchez also called on the EU to review its relationship with China amid the global turmoil sparked by the US tariffs, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

What US president is doing to global trade must push Europe to revise its willingness to find other new partners and open new markets, Sanchez said in a conversation with journalists on arriving in Vietnam for a three-day visit, according to Bloomberg. 

The situation with the US means everybody needs to adapt, and this includes Europe changing its position toward China, but also China toward Europe, Sanchez was quoted as saying in the media report. 

"The US administration's strategy primarily relies on maximum pressure and tariff hikes to force other countries into bilateral negotiations with the US," Cui said, noting that this approach not only undermines the foundation of the multilateral trading system, but also seeks to reshape global trade rules under US dominance, thereby securing America's central position in the global trade landscape. 

This poses a serious challenge to both China and Europe, Cui noted. 

After Washington paused tariff hikes for 90 days the EU put retaliatory tariffs against the US on hold for 90 days, BBC reported on Thursday.

In response, there have been consistent rational and clear-headed voices from both China and Europe in recent years calling for enhanced communication and coordination. Faced with common challenges, acting separately would be far less effective than working together in close cooperation, Cui added. 

China and the EU should engage in deep and sustained dialogue which is not just a temporary or tactical alignment prompted by US pressure, Cui noted. 

Regardless of who is in office, Washington's approach toward Europe is being increasingly tightened and adjusted. Even if it's not through tariffs, other forms of pressure are likely to follow, Cui noted. 

"In this context, simply pointing out what's wrong with US policy is not enough. More importantly, China and the EU need to implement concrete, high-potential cooperation projects. Only through tangible outcomes can Europe, while navigating between China and the US, recognize that losing cooperation with China could mean even greater economic and strategic costs," Cui said. 

Positive signs 

In addition to Sanchez's visit, China and the EU have been closely coordinating on trade issues over the past few days. 

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a video meeting with the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic on Tuesday, during which the two sides agreed to promptly initiate consultations to thoroughly discuss market access-related issues, create a more favorable business environment for enterprises, and immediately commence negotiations on price commitments for EVs, as well as explore investment cooperation in the China-EU automotive industry, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday, saying that China is ready to work with the European side to promote the sound and steady development of China-EU relations, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Both China and the EU recognize the need to jointly oppose US' trade bullying acts, such as using tariffs as a weapon; to reject unilateralism and the logic of the strong overpowering the weak; and to push back against behaviors that undermine international order, free trade, globalization, and multilateralism, Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

In the face of such unilateral and anti-globalization practices that threaten global economic order, China and the EU should work together - especially in the realm of global economic governance - by respecting each other's legitimate concerns and resolving bilateral issues in a mutually beneficial way, Ding noted. 

"Of course, we must also recognize that the EU consists of 27 member states with diverse political forces and differing perspectives—whether on China-EU relations or on transatlantic relations," Ding said, noting that therefore, we hope that Europe can assess the situation wisely and make strategic choices that truly serve its own interests.