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Madrid strengthens Beijing relations as King Felipe visits China
7:27 CAT | 11 Nov 2025
Photo: X/Casa de S.M. el Rey
- As the EU is hardening its stance towards China, Madrid’s warm relations with Beijing have stood out; Sánchez has made three visits to the Asian country since 2023 and this royal visit aims to strengthen “political, economic and cultural” ties
For the first time since 2007, Spanish King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will embark on a three-day trip to China from November 11-13, officially to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the strategic alliance between Spain and China, signed in 2005 under the Socialist leadership of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
The Spanish royals will start their trip on Tuesday in the city of Chengdu, accompanied by Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo. The visit aims to strengthen “political, economic and cultural” relations between both countries.
On Wednesday, the Spanish king and queen will travel to Beijing, where they will be received by Chinese President Xi Jinping on their first official visit since Felipe VI took the throne in 2014.
The visit has a strong economic focus, including two economic forums and a meeting of the Spain-China Business Advisory Council held in Beijing on Thursday, to attract Chinese investment to the country.
In October 2025 Albares visited the city of Hangzhou, where he asked his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to allow Spanish companies to access contract tenders and investments in the Asian economic giant “on equal terms.”
Out of step with the EU?
Felipe VI’s visit is highly “symbolic and ceremonial,” says Juan Manuel López Nadal, a retired diplomat with over three decades of experience in Asia, including a period as Spanish Ambassador to Thailand and consular posts in Hong Kong and Beijing.
Maintaining cordial relations with China is sensible, Nadal said, but added that as part of the EU, Spain “should remain within the European consensus… on foreign policy and security matters.”
The former ambassador also said Madrid’s diplomacy with Washington and Beijing must be carefully balanced.”Spain must not tip more to one side than the other,” he added.
Under Spanish law, the royal family’s agenda is set by the government – in this case, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s executive, a royal spokesperson noted. The King therefore has little say over scheduled trips.
But at a time when the EU is hardening its stance towards China, Madrid’s warm relations with Beijing have stood out; Sánchez has now made three visits to the Asian country since 2023 – most recently in April this year.
Sánchez’s office has clarified that the PM will not be joining the delegation this time, as it is not “common practice” for premiers to accompany the King on state visits.
- The Spanish Foreign Ministry did not respond to Euractiv’s request for comments by the date of publication.
Los Reyes Felipe y Letizia visitaron China en noviembre de 2007 y 2008 como Príncipes de Asturias.
En 2008,asistieron a los actos con motivo de la inauguración de los Juegos Olímpicos de Pekín. pic.twitter.com/mMwnBk6UzT
— REINA_LETIZIA2020 (@RLetizia2020) November 8, 2025
🇨🇳Llegada de los Reyes al Aeropuerto Internacional de Chengdu con motivo del inicio de su Viaje de Estado a la República Popular China.
➡️https://t.co/XS7maBXRwh pic.twitter.com/EkH30u0uCK
— Casa de S.M. el Rey (@CasaReal) November 10, 2025
Source: Euractiv
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