Xi Calls for Closer Ties With Spain on AI, High-Tech Development

(Bloomberg) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping told Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez he wants the two nations to strengthen ties and jointly promote development in high-tech industries, including artificial intelligence and new energy.

“We hope Spain will continue to provide a fair, just, safe and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies investing and operating in Spain,” Xi said in a meeting with Sanchez in Beijing on Monday, according to a readout from the official Xinhua News Agency.

Sanchez is on a four-day visit to China since Sunday to boost ties with the world’s second-biggest economy at a time of simmering trade tensions between Beijing and the wider European Union. He met with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang earlier in the day, as well as China’s third highest-ranked official Zhao Leji.

China and the EU have been embroiled in a trade dispute as Brussels decided to raise tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, saying Chinese firms unfairly benefit from state subsidies and accusing them of dumping excess production on Europe. Beijing hit back by opening anti-dumping investigations into brandy, dairy and pork products from the EU. Spain is Europe’s largest pork exporter.

Sanchez last visited China in March 2023 when he attended the Boao Forum in Hainan province. His latest trip will take him to Shanghai next.

Sanchez’s travel comes as Spain granted political asylum to Edmundo González, the opposition candidate in Venezuela’s disputed July 28 presidential election who fled his country on Saturday. Venezuelan authorities declared Nicolás Maduro the winner, cracked down on opponents and ordered González’s arrest. Xi was among the first leaders to congratulate Maduro on his reelection in July.

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