A Spanish industry leader emphasized the urgent need for stable trade relations with China to counter growing global trade instability fueled by rising tariffs at a time when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrived in China for his third trip in three years.
Javier Tora Mira, chairman of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in South China, denounced the protectionist measures and highlighted the importance of strong China-Spain economic ties in the current climate in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Friday,
"Tariffs and to put boundaries to international trade is not helpful for the global economy and for globalization. Tariffs will affect especially the consumers, consumers' pocket and economy, and also will affect a lot of SMEs, small-and-medium-sized enterprises. They will not be able to survive in this environment. Many workers will lose their jobs, and also, many companies will close," he said.
Spanish MP Sanchez landed in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The Spanish PM's last two trips to the country occurred in September 2024 and March 2023, respectively.
Mira praised Sanchez's visit as a stabilizing force, noting that "I want our two leaders to work to give stability to the countries, especially our countries and the regions, Europe and Asia. And I think the Spanish (Prime Minister's) visit is positive because we will give more value to the commercial relationships between China and Spain."
Beyond navigating current global challenges, Mira outlined substantial opportunities for deeper collaboration between the countries.
"The potential is big because Spain not only has a good location in Europe, (but) as well as an entrance for Latin America and South America. But especially the areas we can cooperate, like Spain, is strong in food and beverages, olive oil, meat, wine, fruits, fashion, and technology. In research and development, we have a lot of scientists and investigators in Spain, leading many new technologies as well. China is very strong in new technologies, such as EVs or electric vehicles, green energies, robotics, electronics, etc. That's why I think the mix between the two countries can have a big potential," said Mira.
China, Spain eye deeper economic ties amid global trade challenges: expert
