The national flags of Spain and China hang in front of the portrait of late communist leader Mao Zedong at Tiananmen Gate during a visit by Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing on April 13, 2026. (Photo by AFP) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez begins a three-day visit to China Monday, aiming to strengthen trade ties with the world's second-largest economy as relations with the United States show signs of strain. The trip marks Sanchez's fourth visit to China in four years as he seeks to position Spain as a key bridge between China and the 27-member European Union. The visit comes amid tense relations with Washington under President Donald Trump, whose tariffs and unpredictable foreign policy have raised concerns among European allies. Leaders from Britain, Canada and Germany have recently visited Beijing, and Trump is expected to travel there in May. Trump threatened last month to cut trade with Spain after the country denied the use of its military bases for U.S. ...