US Ambassador Warns Spain: Be 'Very Cautious' in Deepening Ties with China

MADRID (CNA) - US Ambassador to Spain Benjamin Leon said today that Spain must be very cautious when deepening relations with China, avoiding allowing Beijing to gain a foothold in critical industries such as data, defense, and telecommunications, which the Chinese authorities are attempting to dominate. According to Reuters, Leon, who took office in February, expressed concern in a speech, noting that some public contracts have been awarded to companies collaborating with Chinese tech giant Huawei. Washington has stated that Huawei poses an 'unacceptable risk' to US national security. This was one of Leon's first public speeches since taking office. He said that if Spain ensures China is excluded from critical areas, it can engage with Beijing, 'but I see them starting to penetrate critical areas, and Spain must be very cautious.' Leon stated: 'China seeks to dominate critical technologies. It uses unfair trade practices and economic coercion to expand its strategic influence. This poses a real risk to our supply chains, research, and security.' He also called on Europe to protect its own research, intellectual property, and democratic values. China has repeatedly denied accusations from Washington regarding unfair practices and espionage. Relations between the Trump administration and Spain's left-wing government are strained, partly because Spain refused to follow NATO commitments to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP and refused to allow the US to use Spanish military bases and airspace in the war against Iran. Trump hinted last October that he might impose economic sanctions on Spain for failing to increase defense spending. Leon said Spain has 'frustrated' Trump, and future actions depend entirely on Trump's decisions. However, Leon downplayed the possibility of economic or military sanctions. He said: 'In my view, there will always be room for compromise between Spain and the US... In any case, we will find a way to continue working and improve bilateral relations.'