China–Spain relations

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China–Spain relations
Map indicating locations of China and Spain

China
Spain

China–Spain relations have existed since the 16th century. In modern times, official diplomatic relations between Spain and the People's Republic of China were established in 1973.

History

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Contact between China and Spain first occurred between the Ming dynasty of China and the Spanish-ruled Philippines, in which Spain believed it could take over China.[1][2]

When the Chinese pirate Limahong attacked Manila in 1574, officials in Fujian Province were willing to let the Spanish establish a trade port on an island south of Xiamen, in return for Limahong's capture. However, the governor of the Philippines did not respond favourably, and the offer came to nothing when Limahong escaped from Manila.[3]

In 1598, Cantonese officials allowed Spain to trade in El Piñal, a port in the Pearl River Delta near Macau. The Portuguese in Macau reacted violently and chased away the Spanish from the area by arms in 1600.[3]

In 1927, a treaty recognizing extraterritoriality was signed between the Kingdom of Spain and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government. The Spanish consul general in Shanghai was also the minister plenipotentiary to China.[4] The Republic of China had diplomatic relations with Spain under Francisco Franco.[5]

Francoist Spain's official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China began in March 1973.[6]

Bilateral relations

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According to the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency, the volume of trade between the two countries grew considerably in the 2000s. Total trade, at US$7.2 billion in 2004, had increased to $22.7 billion by October 2008, and China became Spain's sixth-largest trading partner.[7][needs update]

Manuela Carmena and Xi Jinping during the latter's visit to Madrid in 2018

In 2018, during General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping's state visit to Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez refused to sign a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative.[8]

In June 2019, Spain had extradited 94 Taiwanese nationals to mainland China instead of Taiwan as part of "Operation Great Wall".[9] By 2021, the number had increased to more than 200.[10] Both countries signed an extradition agreement in 2006.[9]

In July 2019, the UN ambassadors from 22 nations, including Spain, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC condemning China's alleged mistreatment of the Uyghurs as well as of other minority groups and urged the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang internment camps.[11][12]

The International Department of the Chinese Communist Party maintains relations with major Spanish political parties Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the People's Party.[13] Vox has maintained a critical stance toward the Chinese government.[13]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was reported in April 2020 that 640,000 Antigen Coronavirus Test Kits which themselves were replacements for previously supplied faulty kits, bought from a Chinese company, Bioeasy, had been found to be defective, prompting Spain to seek a refund.[14] The Spanish Health Ministry reported that faulty face masks bought from another Chinese company, Garry Galaxy, had resulted in infections among health workers, requiring the isolation of over a thousand Spanish healthcare personnel.[15]

In September 2024, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to enhance bilateral relations, focusing on global conflicts of Ukraine and economic cooperation. The discussions addressed trade disputes, such as EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and Spain's pork exports, while also emphasizing the importance of strengthening business and cultural ties between the two nations.[16]

In July 2025, the European Union raised cybersecurity concerns as the Spanish government contracts with Huawei to manage and store its wiretaps for law enforcement and intelligence services.[17][18][19]

Resident diplomatic missions

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  • Embassy of China in Madrid
    Embassy of China in Madrid
  • Consulate-General of China in Barcelona
    Consulate-General of China in Barcelona

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Menegon, Eugenio (2009). Ancestors, Virgins, & Friars: Christianity as a Local Religion in Late Imperial China. Harvard University Press. pp. 11–. ISBN 978-0-674-03596-6. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  2. ^ Hawley, Samuel. "The Spanish Plan to Conquer China". samuelhawley.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b Sousa Pinto, Paulo Jorge de (2008). "Enemy at the Gates: Macao, Manila and the 'Pinhal Episode' (end of the 16th Century)". Bulletin of Portuguese - Japanese Studies. 16: 11–43. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  4. ^ García Ruiz-Castillo, Carlos (2009). "Los fondos de las representaciones diplomáticas y consulares de España en China conservados en el Archivo General de la Administración: su contexto". Cuadernos de Historia Contemporanea. 31: 223–241. Archived 2017-12-23 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Franco Wishes Pres. Chiang Success". Taiwan Today. 19 December 1965. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016.
  6. ^ Snyder, Francis (2009). The European Union and China, 1949–2008: Basic Documents and Commentary. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-84731-495-6.
  7. ^ "China-Spain relations see steady growth". Xinhua News Agency. 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  8. ^ Alberro, Hernán; Young, Ellie; Pérez-Cheng, Shiany (2022). "Spain: Beijing's Global Media Influence 2022 Country Report". Freedom House. Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  9. ^ a b Jiang, Steven (7 June 2019). "94 Taiwanese criminal suspects extradited from Spain to Beijing". CNN. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  10. ^ "China 'Hunting' Taiwanese Abroad Through Deportation: Rights Group". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 30 November 2021.
  11. ^ Putz, Catherine (15 July 2019). "Which Countries Are For or Against China's Xinjiang Policies?". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  12. ^ "More than 20 ambassadors condemn China's treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang". The Guardian. 11 July 2019. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  13. ^ a b "The relationship of three Spanish parties with Chinese communism and the exception of Vox". Counting Stars. 23 August 2024. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  14. ^ Sevillano, Elena G. (21 April 2020). "Spain seeks refund for defective coronavirus tests, after replacement kits also prove faulty". El País. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  15. ^ Benito, Emilio De (21 April 2020). "Faulty batch of face masks prompts the isolation of more than a thousand Spanish healthcare staff". El País. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Spanish prime minister discusses Ukraine and trade during meeting with Xi in China". AP News. 10 September 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  17. ^ Jopson, Barney; Moens, Barbara (25 July 2025). "EU fires warning shot at Spain over Huawei reliance". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 25 July 2025. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
  18. ^ Recacha, Víctor (7 July 2025). "El Gobierno paga 12 millones a la china Huawei por custodiar las escuchas policiales". The Objective (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  19. ^ Basteiro, Daniel (18 July 2025). "Spain Confirms Huawei Use for Wiretaps, Denies Security Risk". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
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