Spain and China are cosying up - to the anger of many in the EU

In Barcelona, Chinese dragons and acrobats performed at the La Merce cultural festival, attended by both delighted locals and Chinese dignitaries. Shanghai's Vice Mayor Lu Shan met with Catalan officials, noting that while the two cultures differ, they share a common spirit. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has visited China's President Xi Jinping four times in the past year, urging the EU to improve relations with China.

This has angered EU partners who view China as a strategic rival. The EU is forming new alliances with China due to global volatility and uncertainty in US policy, leading some to question if this will cause permanent division within the bloc. Germany and France have adopted a tougher stance on China, aiming to curb subsidised Chinese competitors in the EU market.

Spain's burgeoning relations with China could potentially prioritize national interests over EU alliances, as highlighted by a Spanish lawyer and academic specializing in Sino-Spanish relations. Chinese investments in Spain have doubled, with new battery factories and car plants driving this growth. Spanish society now favors China over the US, with a Pew Research Center poll showing 54% of Spaniards viewing China favorably compared to 30% for the US. Critics worry that Chinese factories in Spain could weaken the EU single market.