Spain and China are cosying up - to the anger of many in the EU
Spain's deepening cultural and economic ties with China have drawn criticism from other EU member states. While Spain views the relationship as mutually beneficial, some European partners fear it undermines the bloc's unified stance against Beijing.
Why it matters
It highlights growing geopolitical friction within the EU regarding how to balance economic engagement with China against strategic security concerns.
Spain and China are cosying up - to the anger of many in the EU
By Katya Adler Europe Editor On the streets of Barcelona, fiery red and gold Chinese dragons (presumably with very sweaty people inside the costumes) danced among delighted crowds, while Chinese acrobats elicited gasps of amazement as they rolled, tossed and threw spherical lanterns in the air, keeping - as if by magic - the candle inside them upright at all times.
Shanghai made history this week: the first Asian metropolis to be invited as the city of honour to Barcelona's famously rambunctious cultural festival, La Merce. Vast street processions here are overwhelmingly aimed at celebrating centuries-old Catalan traditions. So it was quite something to witness velvet-clad Catalan pipers, sashaying down Barcelona's main boulevards, their medieval tunes intermingling with lilting music that accompanied flocks of brightly dressed Chinese performers.
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