The King dedicated the third and last day of the state visit to China to underline the economic nature of the trip and leave a message of support for Spanish companies in China. “The best environment for any company is one in which legal certainty prevails and long-term commercial and investment decisions can be made,” Felipe VI defended in a speech at the bilateral economic forum on Thursday. “The extraordinarily complex geopolitical framework in which we operate requires us to be pragmatic,” he acknowledged.
The monarch also visited the factories of Gestamp, a Spanish multinational dedicated to the design, development and production of metal components for the automotive sector. Originally from Burgos and born in 1997, they landed in China in 2007, and from this country they produce chassis, bodywork and battery boxes. The company sees “an opportunity in the moment of the electric car”, commented Antonio López, CEO of the Asian division, to a group of journalists, shortly before the royal delegation burst like a whirlwind into the company’s plant on the outskirts of Beijing. “Being in China opened our eyes a little,” López said. “Before, knowledge transfer happened from outside to China, now it happens from China to outside.”
The company has 13 factories, two research and development centers and more than 5,000 employees in the country. The visited is one of those who operates through a joint venture with BHAP, a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned BAIC, and from here produces and supplies local electric car manufacturers such as Xiaomi and Li Auto; also to European brands such as Mercedes, with an important presence in the Asian giant.
“Here we are”, said the King at the door of the company, as soon as he got out of the official car, a Chinese Hongqi (Red Flag) brand, widespread among the country’s high echelons. “Minister (Carlos) Body?” he immediately asked for information from the head of the Economy, to begin the visit side by side. Then, wearing protective glasses, the delegation advanced through the factory amid the hydraulic hum of the mechanical arms of Kuka (a leading robotics company of German origin that acquired a Chinese multinational in 2016), while they were instructed on materials and industrial processes, and a lone Chinese operator marked the pieces with a pencil at the feet of the titanic-looking robots.
China’s technological leadership in the electric car sector is a bit of a summary of the official visit: it shows the profound change that has occurred in the country in recent decades, the business and investment opportunities in both directions; but at the same time it highlights the challenges for the EU, which protests against barriers to access to the Chinese market, denounces unfair competition and, from 2024, imposes tariffs on the Asian giant’s plug-ins.
On Wednesday, the king had a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which he highlighted the “solid relationship” between the two countries. After the interview, a dozen agreements and agreements were signed.
This Thursday, Felipe VI reiterated that Spain is increasingly present in China, where it is appreciated “as a constructive and reliable partner”, as he stated during a speech at the last event of the trip, a reception for the Spanish community in a hotel in Beijing. But at the same time he talked about the challenges. “China is today a key player on the international scene, with enormous challenges and transformations underway. Spain maintains a fruitful dialogue with it, both European and domestic,” he said, before insisting that the country will continue to defend its values: “Those of democracy, international law, human rights and multilateral cooperation.”
The Spanish colony in China has about 5,200 registered residents in a country of more than 1.4 billion. The Kings expressed their recognition to these emigrants for their contribution. “Spain is present in the world thanks to people who, like you, establish precious links every day: in the entrepreneurial, scientific, educational, cultural and institutional fields,” said Felipe VI, who recalled how the agenda of the last three days has also had a marked cultural, as well as institutional and economic, character.
While Philip VI visited the factory, Queen Letizia attended a meeting with Spanish students at the Beijing University of Foreign Studies (known as Beiwai in Chinese and BFSU in English), the first to offer the degree in Hispanic Philology in the Asian giant and recognized for being the cradle of diplomacy. Hundreds of students were waiting for Letizia Ortiz’s arrival with their cell phones ready to immortalize the moment. “Hooooola!” they exclaimed amidst cheers and applause, while some waved the flags of the two countries. “We love it,” several college students assured the paper before their arrival.
The rector of the University, Jia Wenjian, underlined in his speech the “strategic vision” that the communist authorities had when they bet on the teaching of Spanish in the 1950s. Cervantes’ language began to make its way into the newly formed People’s Republic with the help of teachers from Latin America, who would later be joined by Spanish teachers, at a time when Beijing sought to expand contacts beyond its immediate allies. Those return trips, born from intellectual affinities, allowed the teaching of the language to be consolidated and the first generation of Chinese Hispanists to be trained. This morning’s event was dedicated to these pioneering teachers.
Chinese Vice Minister of Education Ren Youquan stressed that interest in Spanish continues to increase in the country and called for continuing to expand exchanges between the two nations. For his part, the dean of the Faculty of Hispanic Studies, Chang Fuliang, confirmed that “knowing Spanish in China is fashionable.”
In the minutes preceding the meeting, several university students shared the reasons why they chose to study philology. In addition to literature – the work of Granada’s Federico García Lorca was a source of inspiration for many -, art – “Picasso, Dalí” – or architecture – “Gaudí” -, the students mentioned the artist of the moment, Rosalía, and her latest album Lux.
Founded in 1941, Beiwai It is one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in China, specializing in foreign languages – Catalan is also included in the curriculum – and international relations. Spanish has been taught since 1952. “With my recognition and gratitude for the study, dissemination and teaching of the Spanish language. With all affection”, signed the Queen in the guest book.
