On the Right Side of History

"China and Spain are both countries that value principle and justice. We need to strengthen communication, consolidate mutual trust, and work closely together to reject any backslide into the law of the jungle," Chinese President Xi Jinping said while meeting visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on April 14 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. In response, Sanchez emphasized that "Spain opposes a new Cold War and attempts to decouple and sever supply chains, and supports enhanced communication, understanding and cooperation between Europe and China."

As a European leader demonstrating a great strategic autonomy in the face of Trump-era hegemonism, Sánchez stressed that his four visits to China in four years demonstrate the high importance both sides attach to Spain-China relations. Investment and cooperation by Chinese businesses in Spain have strongly boosted Spain's economic development, he added.

President Xi noted that the two sides should seize opportunities, jointly pursue innovation-driven development, strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade, new energy, and smart economy, and encourage exchanges in culture, education, scientific research, and sports. Xi emphasized the need to jointly uphold true multilateralism, safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and foster the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

During his fourth visit to China, Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez witnessed the signing of 19 agreements between Spain and China. These agreements cover various fields, including economy and trade, science and technology, education, agricultural and food products, and culture. The five-day visit further strengthened cooperation between the two countries amid a changing global landscape. Before boarding his flight to depart Beijing, Sánchez briefed European partners on the outcomes of his visit, stating that the current international order is "collapsing" and being undermined. Sánchez argued for a more inclusive, democratic, and multipolar world.

"We have raised political dialogue with China to its highest level in fifty-three years," said Sánchez, as reported on the official website of the president of the Government of Spain and the Council of Ministers at La Moncloa. In truth, the Spanish leader is being modest in his assessment. Having witnessed and studied the evolution of this bilateral relationship for decades, I believe the current level of mutual understanding is unprecedented, built upon a cultural and trade exchange that stretches back hundreds of years, marked by both peaks and troughs.

Looking back at the bilateral relationship since its establishment in 1973, the first major leap took place in 2005 with the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, followed by the 2025–2028 Action Plan for Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, designed to deepen the partnership, focusing on green energy, high-tech industry, and economic trade. And then Prime Minister Sánchez's consecutive annual visits further demonstrate the steadfast commitment to cooperation, serving as a significant indicator of the strong ties between the two countries in the current geopolitical landscape.

Amidst a flurry of high-profile visits to Beijing this year from leaders of Ireland, Canada, Finland, Britain, and Germany, Sánchez declared Spain's readiness to contribute to and promote joint efforts in addressing trade imbalances, geopolitical tensions, and global challenges like climate change.

According to Expansión, Spain's leading financial daily, five of the 10 economic agreements will facilitate access for Spanish agri-food products to the vast Chinese market, four will boost Spanish exports and enhance transport and infrastructure capacity, and one will protect the designations of origin for Spanish farmers.

Furthermore, Sánchez has expressed Madrid's desire to play an active and constructive role in EU-China relations. He has emphasized the responsibility to foster cooperation even amid differences, underscoring Spain's enduring commitment to dialogue.

The spirit of the Spain-China summit stood in stark contrast to the political climate emanating from the United States. Just hours prior, President Donald Trump was forced to remove a self-portrayal as a modern-day Jesus Christ from his Truth Social account following domestic and international outcry. Yet, he soon posted more self-referential messianic imagery, sparking renewed calls in the U.S. for invoking the 25th Amendment. This follows over six months of escalating rhetoric, including threats to annex Canada and Greenland and an ultimatum to destroy Iranian civilization – a stance that sows global chaos, disrupts understanding, and jeopardizes trade and investment.

Madrid and Beijing have demonstrated that differences can be resolved through dialogues. There is a growing conviction globally that expanding diplomatic and business contacts, and people-to-people exchanges among civil society, academics and cultural figures, yield tangible results.

In 2025, Chinese direct investment in Spain rose by 330 percent compared with 2024, reaching €643 million. China has now been the second-largest Asian investor in Spain for the past 15 years and is on the verge of overtaking Japan, according to the Spain-China Council Foundation.

On April 15, Sánchez attended a China-Spain innovation and business exchange meeting in Beijing, engaging with executives from both countries. The event highlighted companies with significant cross-border investments: Spanish firms with strong footprints in China, and Chinese enterprises with major projects in Spain. Among them were battery giant CATL, which is constructing a plant in Zaragoza, and electric vehicle maker Chery, which has opened a factory in Barcelona. Chinese state-owned energy conglomerates, such as China Energy Engineering Corporation, also participated, underscoring a shared focus on renewable energy cooperation.

Above all, Sánchez's speech at Tsinghua University on April 13 has been praised by many observers as a model of civilizational mutual understanding. It is an honor for the Spanish people, and for Europeans that this vision was shared at one of the world's leading centers of learning – a beacon of progress with which we wish to advance hand in hand.

Faced with a classic Shakespearean dilemma – to be, or not to be – Spain and China choose to be. They choose to exist within a predictable, rules-based international system; to coexist with purpose, not senselessly; and to face the future with a clear, collective will to stand on the right side of history.

Augusto Soto is director of the Spain-based Dialogue with China Project and former global expert in the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.