Spain defends closer trade ties with China after US warns against ‘cutting own throat’

Spain’s Agriculture Minister Luis Planas announced the country’s intention to strengthen trade ties with China, dismissing U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s warning against such alignment as “cutting your own throat.” While accompanying Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on a trip to Vietnam and China, Planas emphasized Spain’s commitment to expanding its trade relations, aiming to position Spain as a mediator between China and the EU, despite ongoing tensions from U.S. tariff policies that have disrupted global trade.