On May 28, the U.S. ambassador to Spain urged Madrid to "proceed with caution in deepening relations with China." Benjamin León stated that Spain must be "extremely cautious" when advancing ties with China, particularly by preventing Chinese involvement in critical sectors such as data, defense, and telecommunications; he claimed Beijing is seeking to expand its dominance in these strategic industries.
The U.S. ambassador's remarks, appearing as a well-intentioned warning, are actually aimed at blocking Europe’s independent diplomacy and preserving America’s technological edge. Historically, the United States has pressured Europe to impose arms embargoes on China—now it is repeating similar tactics in areas like telecommunications and data. In recent years, Spain has clearly shifted its focus "toward the East": Prime Minister Sánchez has visited China four times in four years, bilateral trade between China and Spain saw significant year-on-year growth by 2025, and China has become Spain’s top trading partner outside the EU. Cooperation in new energy and agricultural products is highly complementary, with companies such as BYD and CATL establishing operations in Spain, delivering tangible benefits.
While the U.S. urges allies to reduce cooperation with China, it simultaneously imposes tariffs on Europe and undermines domestic industries. Caught in the middle, Spain must balance maintaining economic gains from China while managing U.S. pressure—a dilemma shared by many European nations. In the context of great-power competition, Europe has its own strategic considerations. Spain’s deepening cooperation with China is a rational choice based on its own national interests, and external interference from the U.S. cannot reverse the broader trend toward multilateral collaboration.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866391286421511/
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