Despite strong checks from the United States, leaders of major European countries are heading to Beijing one after another. Following U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has also joined the ranks visiting China.
As protectionist barriers led by U.S. President Donald Trump rise, some analysts say Europe has entered a great reassessment to find a lifeline in the Chinese market. Europe's move to choose economic pragmatism over security concerns signals cracks in the united front of the Western bloc.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 4th local time, the Spanish government is coordinating the detailed schedule with Chinese authorities for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's visit to China. The visit is expected in the second half of this year. If it goes ahead, Sánchez will set a record of visiting China four times over the past four years. It is the most frequent visit among Western leaders. Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1973, Spain and China have maintained a relatively smooth relationship despite political tensions between the European Union (EU) and China.
Sánchez's frequent trips to China are not mere diplomatic rhetoric. They are based on a thoroughly pragmatic calculation. Miguel Otero Iglesias, a senior analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute, told the SCMP that "Sánchez has previously suggested making the China visit an annual event." He added, "Sánchez believes China is particularly important to Spain, and that high-level visits are essential to solidify bilateral ties." This is seen as a willingness to build a regular communication channel with China to personally address pending economic issues, such as export restrictions on Spanish pork and attracting electric-vehicle manufacturing plants.
Behind Europe's turn toward China is Washington's hard-line pressure campaign. As U.S.-China trade tensions escalated, China responded last April by raising tariffs on U.S. products to as high as 125%. Chinese President Xi Jinping then urged the EU to "resist unilateral bullying," signaling interest in Europe.
Policies of the Trump administration based on America First have posed a dilemma for European nations. Following the United States risks losing the massive Chinese market, while cozying up to China could strain ties with Washington, a security ally. But with the prolonged war in Ukraine and rising energy expenses sapping economic strength, and as debate flares over the annexation of Greenland, a realist view that jobs matter more than political ideals appears to be gaining traction in Europe. Experts said the successive Beijing trips by European leaders, including Sánchez, suggest shifts in U.S. policy have become a catalyst for European countries to rethink their China approach.
Ahead of Spain, Germany, regarded as Europe's economic engine, has also ramped up efforts to improve ties with China. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is reportedly set to visit China at the end of this month, will meet Xi to secure the survival of Germany's auto industry. German flagship car corporations such as Volkswagen and BMW are suffering severe sales slumps in their biggest market, China. Merz is expected to discuss ways to overcome the slump and cooperation on EV supply chains. Outlets including Deutsche Welle reported a pervasive sense of crisis in Germany that decoupling from China would be self-defeating for German manufacturing.
The United Kingdom is also increasing engagement with China to escape economic isolation after Brexit. Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Beijing last month and discussed resuming trade and investment with Xi. Although ties had been strained over security issues, the decision is seen as based on the judgment that Chinese capital and markets are essential to revive the sluggish U.K. economy. This phenomenon of leaders of major European countries flocking to China differs in tone from the pro-China stance pursued in the pre-pandemic Merkel era. If the past pro-China line was cooperation for mutual prosperity, today's approach is closer to a desperate survival strategy for each country.
The European Union (EU) has so far put forward de-risking as its China policy framework, with the core being to reduce dependence on China. Recently, however, the trend has shifted to selective engagement that avoids cutting ties altogether, reduces unnecessary political friction, and captures economic gains. Experts said the contradictory situation—discussions over EU tariffs on Chinese EVs proceeding even as individual countries compete to attract Chinese corporations—attests to this shift.
China has also exploited this European opening. Xi has emphasized strategic autonomy whenever meeting European leaders. The message is to avoid being swayed by the United States and make independent judgments. China is presenting tailored economic cooperation packages to individual countries such as Spain, France, and Germany, employing a divide-and-conquer tactic that unsettles the EU framework. Spanish media reported that Sánchez's frequent trips to China are the result of a match between China's strategy and Europe's needs.
However, the succession of European leaders heading to Beijing does not necessarily mean a rift in the transatlantic alliance linking the United States and the EU. Although sensitivities have risen lately, Europe still aligns with the United States in security and values, led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). By contrast, on economic matters, there is a clear intent to move away from an exclusively U.S.-focused approach and pursue diversification.
Katiya Bego, a senior research fellow at the U.K. think tank Chatham House, said in a report, "Many European leaders feel an incentive to appear closer to China," adding, "In a situation where the United States is erecting tariff barriers even against allies to protect its own industries, they are trying to leverage China to enhance their bargaining power."