Beijing has formally backed Spain in the wake of Donald Trump’s warning to terminate commercial ties with Madrid.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning / © Associated Press
The People’s Republic of China has offered its support to Spain, which faced criticism from Trump for denying US forces the usage of its military installations for potential strikes against Iran.
This pronouncement was made by Mao Ning, the official spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The diplomat addressed claims that Trump had menaced to completely halt commercial exchanges with Spain due to Madrid’s unwillingness to permit its airfields for operations targeting Iran. According to her statement, commerce “should not be transformed into an instrument of duress or a means of aggression.”
“Economic links among nations should not be exploited as a means of political compulsion,” a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry asserted.
The reasons for the rift between Madrid and Washington
As a point of reference, on March 2, the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Álvarez, declared that his nation would not endorse a military intervention by the US and Israel directed at Iran.
On the preceding day, March 3, Trump cautioned that the US might suspend all trade interactions with Spain following a disagreement concerning military bases and its reluctance to escalate military expenditure to 5% of the gross domestic product.
Subsequently, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, voiced disapproval of the US and Israeli military endeavor against Iran, alluding to the detrimental aftereffects of the conflict in Iraq.