Pedro Sánchez’s recent trip to China has lit the alarms in Europe, which observes with increasing interest the strategic turn of the Spanish president to the Asian giant. Beyond a diplomatic visit, displacement reflects a consolidated trend: the government’s attempt to position itself as a bridge between Europe and China, reinforcing economic and political ties with the Eastern countryat a time when international relations are marked by global tensions.
Since his arrival in power in 2018, Sánchez has transformed the Spanish economic scene. While much of Europe faced crisis and instability, Spain has stood out for solid growth: in 2024, its GDP increased more than 3%, its bag rose 14.8% and unemployment reached historical minimums. These figures have taken media like The Economist y Financial Times a qualify Spain as one of the most dynamic economies in the developed world.
In this context of bonanza, Madrid has intensified its links with Beijing. China has become a key commercial partner, with investments that have doubled in recent years and projects such as terminals for electric cars and sustainable industrial parks in Spanish territory. Sanchez has been one of the few European leaders to visit China on multiple occasions, betting on long -term strategic cooperation.
However, this approach has not been exempt from friction. The growing distance with the United States, especially with the Trumpist wing, has generated tensions. Sanchez has criticized Washington’s foreign policy and has been firm in its rejection of the extreme global right. The anti -American feeling, rooted in part of Spanish society, feeds this position, and some government partners have even requested the departure of NATO Spain.
The movement of Spain to China is observed carefully in Brussels and Rome, where some analysts consider that Spanish economic success could be due, in part, to their commitment to diversify their global alliances. The key, according to Italy, would be to combine economic pragmatism with strategic independence. Europe, before this panorama, faces the challenge of adapting to a new balance of forces in which Spain seems to want to play a leading role.
