BEIJING — Spain’s King Felipe VI will make a state visit to China from November 10 to November 13, marking the first trip by a Spanish monarch in 18 years, the Chinese foreign ministry announced Monday. The visit comes as Spain aims to strengthen trade ties and attract Chinese investment.
Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, said Beijing is ready to work with Spain to leverage the visit for expanded cooperation and to enhance their strategic partnership. The trip underscores Spain’s active economic engagement with China, despite US warnings about deepening ties with the world’s second-largest economy.
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Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has visited China three times in the past three years, most recently in spring 2025. During a September 2024 visit, Sanchez reversed Spain’s prior support for EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Chinese investments in Spain include factories for battery maker CATL and renewable energy company Envision.
The European Union has maintained caution toward China due to trade imbalances, Beijing’s ties with Russia, and its dominance over critical minerals. Spain’s close engagement with China has sometimes complicated the EU’s ability to take a unified approach to Beijing.
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Tensions between the US and China have eased slightly following a one-year trade and technology deal agreed upon by President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in South Korea last week. However, Washington officials have previously criticized European countries, including Spain, for moving closer to Beijing.