Moncloa confirms Sánchez will make his fourth official trip to China in four years in mid-April

Eduardo González The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, will make his fourth official trip to the People's Republic of China in four years between April 13 and 15, 2026, as confirmed by Moncloa this Monday, March 23. The trip was announced on February 5 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, during the inauguration of the tenth Spain-China Forum at the Real Casino de Madrid, organized by the Spain-China Council Foundation (FCEC). "A new high-level trip to China is expected this year, presumably by the Prime Minister," he stated during the event. A day later, the Secretary of State for Trade, Amparo López Senovilla, announced during the closing ceremony of the Spain-China summit that the Minister of Economy, Trade and Business, Carlos Cuerpo, would also travel to China to participate in the 30th meeting of the Spanish-Chinese Joint Economic and Industrial Commission, the bilateral forum for strengthening economic and trade relations between the two countries. This is Pedro Sánchez's fourth official visit to China in just four years. The first visit took place in March 2023 (coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations), and on that occasion, the Prime Minister discussed Beijing's twelve-point proposal to end the conflict in Ukraine with Xi Jinping. During the second visit, in September 2024, Sánchez advocated for a negotiated solution to the tariff crisis between China and the EU and presided over the signing of several bilateral agreements on digital trade, services, investment, and cultural cooperation. Finally, the third visit took place in April 2025 and included the signing, with Li Qiang, of a new Action Plan to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, precisely in the year of its twentieth anniversary. The Plan highlights four major areas of work: economy, trade and investment; agriculture and fisheries; science and technology, innovation and green development; and exchanges between societies in the areas of culture, education, sports, and tourism. The 2025 visit, which occurred amidst the tariff offensive of US President Donald Trump, was harshly criticized by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who declared that “Spain must decide whether it wants to stand with Europe or with those who undermine its principles.” The People's Party also criticized Sánchez's trip to Beijing. In response to these criticisms, Sánchez asserted that “Spain’s foreign policy is not against anyone, it is in favor of understanding between countries, the defense of the international order and free trade,” and the PSOE recalled that the current leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, traveled to China in 2017 when he was president of the Xunta of Galicia and that the then Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, also traveled to Beijing in 2014 and met with Xi Jinping.

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