China has come to Spain's defence after President Donald Trump threatened to "cut all trade" with Madrid. Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said trade should not be used as a political weapon, signalling Beijing's opposition to economic pressure over Spain's refusal to support US operations linked to Iran.
The row erupted after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez denied Washington the use of joint US-Spanish bases and rejected calls to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP. China, having Spain as a key trading partner in southern Europe, has deepened ties with Madrid in infrastructure, energy and agriculture in recent years.
President Xi Jinping's government also reiterated that US and Israeli strikes on Iran violate international law. As tensions widen, Beijing appears keen to position itself as a stable economic partner amid growing strains between Washington and several European capitals...