Pork and talk: Spanish PM calls for honest dialogue with China

CGTN Europe

The Spanish Prime Minister says he believes that honest dialogue can resolve trade tensions between China and the European Union. CGTN’s Ken Browne explains why trade – in EVs and pork products, among much else – is at the forefront of negotiations. #Spain #China #EU #Trade

Transcript

00:00Fears of a trade war between Europe and China have grown through a summer of rising tension.

00:06In July, the European Commission announced tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles of between

00:1017 and 38 percent, a blow to the rapid rise of companies like BYD.

00:16In response, China announced anti-dumping investigations into European pork in June,

00:22and turned the temperature up again in August with more investigations into European dairy.

00:28Harsh pork products like these are the ones in the firing line, and Spain would suffer

00:31most from any pork tariffs.

00:34Last year, it sold over 1.5 billion dollars' worth to China, more than any other European

00:39nation.

00:40Good news, then, that the meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister Sánchez went

00:44well on Monday, according to one source, saying that the two leaders found understanding and

00:49harmony.

00:51President Xi urged Sánchez to play a constructive role in resolving trade disputes during that

00:56meeting, and Spanish media says that Sánchez is positioning himself as a negotiator between

01:01the EU and China.

01:03In terms of relations between both the European Union and China, Spain is firmly committed

01:09to promoting and encouraging dialogue, negotiation, and balanced agreements that benefit both

01:14the European Union and China.

01:17We want to build bridges and together promote fair trade.

01:22The Spain-China relationship is at a high point after successful celebrations of 50

01:27years of official diplomatic relations in 2023.

01:32Hopes in the EU are that Sánchez can use this relationship to help resolve these trade

01:37issues.

01:38And for Spain's pork industry, nothing could be more important right now.

01:43Spain having done so much to increase production, with a view to China, there's no doubt that

01:48there would be a knock-on effect.

01:51Absolutely none at all, and that could include reduced production, maybe closure of some

01:58pork plants, and a knock-on effect for employment in those plants and farmers.

02:03So it is a really big issue, which is why I think these negotiations that are taking

02:08place are going to be followed very closely in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.

02:13The EU continues to walk a geopolitical tightrope in following the lead of its close ally, the

02:19United States, which imposed 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs.

02:24Brussels, however, will want to avoid sparking a deeply damaging trade war with its third

02:30biggest trade partner, a relationship worth over three-quarters of a trillion dollars

02:36a year.

02:37Meanwhile, Sánchez continues to express a message of dialogue and compromise in China.

02:42Ken Brown, CGTN, Madrid.

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