King Felipe's Groundbreaking State Visit to China: Strengthening Ties Amid Geopolitical Shifts

King Felipe of Spain embarks on a historic state visit to China, marking the first such visit in 18 years. This visit aims to fortify business and political relations, as Spain seeks to balance its trade relations and hedge against worsening ties with the U.S. through increased Chinese investments.

King Felipe of Spain is beginning the first state visit to China by a Spanish monarch in 18 years, aiming to enhance Madrid's courtship of Beijing within the European Union. This move aligns with the 20th anniversary of high-level bilateral relations, offering a strategic rebalance for Spain at a time when relations with the U.S. are declining.

The Spanish delegation, including Foreign Minister Jose Maria Albares and Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo, will first visit Chengdu before meeting President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The visit is part of a broader strategy to address trade imbalances, evidenced by Spain's significant import-export disparity with China, which surpassed 45 billion euros in imports against 7.5 billion euros in exports in 2024.

Spain's warming relations with China have boosted pork exports and attracted investments in EV battery factories, car plants, and the energy sector from Chinese companies. Despite political concerns, including technology security issues, Spain views China as a counterbalance to cooling U.S. relations, potentially providing alternative investment opportunities.

(With inputs from agencies.)