Visit shows value of consistent dialogue and engagement amid global turbulence: China Daily editorial

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez commenced his fourth visit to China in four years on Saturday. His five-day visit will help further consolidate bilateral ties and send a message to the outside world that Spain's relationship with China has significance beyond bilateral scope.

The frequency of his visits — and the visit of Spanish King Felipe VI last year — speaks to a relationship built on consistency and mutual trust, and points to high-level dialogue as the pathway for steady engagement between China and Spain at a time of growing global uncertainty.

Discussions between the two sides during Sanchez's visit are expected to further deepen strategic mutual trust, enhance communication and cooperation, strengthen multilateral coordination and advance bilateral ties so as to bring more benefits to the two countries and two peoples and contribute more to safeguarding world peace and stability.

At its core, China-Spain cooperation reflects a broader logic: countries with different historical, cultural backgrounds and social systems can work together effectively when they prioritize long-term common interests. That highlights the importance of mutual respect, practical cooperation and a shared commitment to fairness in global governance. That framework continues to define the relationship today.

The bilateral relationship also rests on strong economic complementarity. China is Spain's largest trading partner outside the European Union, and Spain is an important partner for China within the bloc. According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, bilateral goods trade exceeded $55 billion in 2025, an increase of 9.8 percent year-on-year.

But trade figures alone do not tell the full picture. With Spain advancing a technology agenda focused on semiconductors and renewable energy, the two sides are becoming partners in each other's green transition efforts, which has emerged as a key area of convergence. Chinese investment in Spain's new energy sectors, from electric vehicles to wind power, is contributing to Spain's industrial development in these sectors, while Spain offers valuable experience in renewable energy deployment. This two-way flow of investment and expertise demonstrates a partnership that delivers tangible industrial and technological gains for both sides.

By aligning Spain's development goals with China's drive for high-quality development during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, the two sides can unlock further opportunities for industrial and technological cooperation.

Despite the EU's hyping of "de-risking", Spain has been steadfast in forging pragmatic cooperation with China. Focusing on high-end industries such as new energy, electric vehicles, and the digital economy, it has proven that cooperation with China is not a risk but a source of growth.

In doing so, it is demonstrating that engagement with China is not a departure from European interests, but a way to advance them, particularly as Europe seeks greater strategic autonomy and economic resilience.

In this context, Sanchez's visit resonates beyond Madrid and Beijing, showing that even amid fragmentation and uncertainty, sustained dialogue and practical cooperation are viable and mutually beneficial.

At a time marked by division and instability, China-Spain cooperation can help provide a sense of stability and facilitate China-Europe relations to develop on a steadier and more constructive path.

Amid current global turbulence and the danger of a return to the "law of the jungle", the two countries should jointly safeguard the authority of the United Nations and international fairness and justice, uphold multilateralism and work toward an equal and orderly multipolar world.

Sanchez's frequent visits to China demonstrate a strong commitment to sustained high-level engagement. This commitment is particularly valuable in the current turbulent global landscape, as viewing China as a long-term strategic partner provides much-needed consistency and stability.

In a world fraught with uncertainty and crisis, stability itself is a scarce resource.