US envoy warns Spain over deepening ties with Chinadeepening ties with China
A US envoy warned Spain on Wednesday to be very careful as Madrid deepens ties with China, amid strains with President Donald Trump's administration.
The dispute comes as Spain resists US pressure over NATO spending targets and access to its bases and airspace, making the row part of wider transatlantic tensions over security and alignment with Beijing.
US Perspective
Washington sees Spain’s closer engagement with China as a strategic risk at a time of sharper competition with Beijing. US officials are also frustrated by Spain’s refusal to meet NATO spending demands and to give broader access to its military facilities.
Spanish Government Perspective
Madrid has pushed back against US pressure and has defended its own approach to defence spending and foreign policy. It has also continued to pursue ties with China while trying to preserve room for an independent line inside NATO.
- Spain joined NATO in 1982 after the end of its Cold War-era isolation.
- China is Spain’s largest trading partner outside the European Union.
- US forces have used Spanish territory for decades under bilateral defense agreements.
