Pedro Sánchez urges China to expand climate & security
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- Pedro Sánchez urged China to assume a bigger role in climate change, security, defense and the fight against inequality, adding that Europe must redouble its efforts as the United States steps back from leadership.
- Pedro Sánchez made the remarks at Beijing’s Tsinghua University during his fourth official visit to China in four years, ahead of a scheduled meeting with President Xi Jinping on geopolitics.
- Spain’s trade deficit with China accounts for 74% of its total deficit, which rose to nearly $50 billion in 2025, prompting a push to boost agricultural and manufacturing exports.
- Xinhua said Sanchez’s visit aims to further consolidate bilateral ties and points to a broader pathway for steady engagement between China and Europe amid growing global uncertainty.
- Pedro Sánchez highlighted China’s potential contributions to global health, responsible AI development, nuclear weapons control and respecting international law in conflicts such as Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine.
Why it matters: Spain hopes to narrow its $50 billion trade gap by expanding exports, while Europe looks to China to fill gaps left by a retreating United States; for China, the call adds pressure to lead on climate, security and health issues, reshaping its global responsibilities.
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