Trade and Cesce advocate for balancing competition and cooperation in business strategy with China

 

The Secretary of State for Commerce, Amparo López Senovilla, inaugurated the day China and global leadership, organized by Cesce and Foreign Policy Analysis FoundationDuring the meeting, participants were urged to combine competition in markets where China poses price challenges with strategic cooperation in complementary areas, with the aim of mitigating risks and strengthening Spanish companies in the new global order.

 

Dual strategy: Competition and Cooperation

 

The event, held at the Fundación Carlos de Amberes, has served as a platform to analyze the reconfiguration of global balances. Lopez Senovilla has highlighted the relevance of the more than 400 Spanish companies These initiatives are already established in China, and the Asian country's investment interest in Spain has been highlighted. However, he cautioned about the complexity of the current situation.

 

According to the Secretary of State, the strategy must be twofold: “We will compete in those markets where China’s presence is growing and poses complex challenges in terms of prices; and on the other hand, we can benefit from strategic cooperation where there are real opportunities based on complementarity.”He also emphasized that these bilateral relations must be strictly based on “balanced rules of the game”.

 

The new order as a terrain for Spanish companies

 

For his part, the executive president of Cesce, Paul Ramon-LacaHe has focused his discourse on business operations, pointing out that the new international order is a conquerable territory for the productive sector, provided that the necessary conditions are met. suitable instruments support for internationalization and risk coverage.

 

In this line, Gaspar Atienza, President of the Foreign Policy Analysis Foundation, presented the latest issue of the magazine Foreign policy, titled “China in a disordered world”, which addresses Beijing’s assertiveness and its strategic confrontation with the United States.

 

Expert analysis: Geopolitics and structural challenges

 

The central colloquium, moderated by María José Hernando (Head of the Country Risk Unit at Cesce), included the participation of Rafael Dezcallar (Spanish Ambassador to China 2018-2024), Alfonso Noriega (Chief Economic and Commercial Counselor of Spain in Beijing) and Rafael Loring (Senior analyst at Cesce Country Risk).

 

Experts agreed that China is seeking a strategic autonomy to reduce its external dependence and undermine US leadership. However, they warned about the internal challenges facing the Asian giant.

 

Data / Indicator	Detail
Spanish Presence	More than 400 companies established in China.
European Target Market	500 million people with medium and high purchasing power.
Sectors of Chinese Leadership	Renewable energy, electric vehicles and batteries.
Chinese Structural Challenges	Real estate crisis, internal debt and demographic decline.

 

Despite its leadership in green technology sectors, the panel highlighted a number of critical vulnerabilities in the Chinese economy:

 

• Lower projected economic growth.
• Population decline.
• High dependence on foreign trade.
• The crisis in the real estate sector and its social impact.

 

In conclusion, the ambassador Dezcallar He pointed out that Europe's challenge is “making the European market essential for China”While Alfonso Noriega He pointed out that the opportunities for Spanish companies lie in their capacity for innovation and integration into global value chains.

 

Key points and frequently asked questions about Spain-China relations

 

What is the Spanish government's position on China's commercial rise?
The State Secretariat for Trade advocates a mixed stance: to compete firmly in markets where Chinese prices pose challenges and to cooperate in areas where there is industrial complementarity, always demanding balanced rules of the game.

 

What economic weaknesses does China face according to Cesce analysts?
Despite its strength in renewables and electric vehicles, China faces serious structural problems such as high domestic debt, the real estate crisis, dependence on external demand, and demographic decline.

 

 

What role does the European market play in Chinese geopolitics?
According to experts, Europe must position itself by leveraging its market of 500 million high-spending consumers as an "essential" asset for the Chinese economy, thus forcing a more balanced relationship of interdependence.