The visit, Sanchez's fourth trip to China in as many years, comes in the wake of the Spanish leader's fervent criticism of US President Donald Trump over the war against Iran, an economic partner of Beijing's.

The Socialist premier has doubled down on his refrain of "no to the war" and refused Washington's requests to use Madrid's military bases against Iran, despite Trump's threat to sever trade with Spain as a result.

On the foreign policy front, Sanchez has sought to help Spanish companies break into new markets and find new investors for the eurozone's fourth-largest economy.

The upcoming trip comes at a time when oil prices have soared due to Iran's de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic choke point for global crude and natural gas supplies, in retaliation for the US-Israeli strikes.

China has been bracing for the economic fallout from the Middle East, as more than half of Beijing's seaborne crude imports come from the region, most of which pass through the strait, according to the Kpler analysis firm.

On his last visit to Beijing in April 2025, the Socialist leader told a press conference following his meeting with China's President Xi Jinping that tensions over trade should not impede cooperation between the European Union and China.

For his part, Xi urged Sanchez and the European Union to join hands to resist "unilateral bullying", referring to Trump's imposition of swingeing trade tariffs.

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APRIL