COOPERATION AMID CHAOS China's President Xi Jinping (right) and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital Beijing on April 14, 2026. XINHUA PHOTO

BEIJING -- China's President Xi Jinping warned against a return to the "law of the jungle" in international relations and called for closer economic ties with Spain as he met Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday, Chinese state media reported.

The meeting in Beijing came on the second day of Sanchez's visit as he seeks to position Spain as a bridge between China and the European Union, whose relations with the United States are under strain.

Xi told Sanchez the two countries should strengthen cooperation in the face of global "chaos and turmoil" and "a contest between justice and force," said a readout of the talks from Beijing-run China Central Television (CCTV).

"Both China and Spain are principled countries that stand for justice. They should strengthen communication, consolidate mutual trust, and cooperate closely to oppose the world's regression to the law of the jungle," Xi said during talks in the Great Hall of the People.

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"How a country treats international law and the international order reflects its worldview, its conception of order, its values, and its sense of responsibility," Xi said.

Spain and China should "seize opportunities" for cooperation in trade, new energy and technology fields, he said.

Sanchez welcomed China's role in seeking to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, after a first round of US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan ended without an agreement.

"The role China can play is important in order to find diplomatic means that end this war and contribute to stability and peace," Sanchez told a news conference after the talks.

The Socialist leader said international law in the region "is being violated basically by one country," Israel, which has invaded Lebanon in its latest conflict with Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Sanchez referred to "those who commit violations or genocides, which is what we are seeing in Gaza, and let us hope the same does not happen in Lebanon, that crimes do not go unpunished."

'Unsustainable' trade balance The two leaders also discussed "the reforms our multilateral system needs to better recognize the multipolar reality of today's world," Sanchez said.

The Spanish premier is seeking to strengthen economic ties with the world's second-largest economy, but called China's trade imbalance with the EU "unsustainable" on Monday.

He is on his fourth visit to China in four years and follows a steady flow of Western leaders visiting Beijing in recent months as President Donald Trump's tariffs and unpredictable foreign policy have rattled the US' traditional allies.

Spanish government sources said a primary goal of Sanchez's trip is to secure greater market access for agricultural and industrial goods, and to explore joint technology ventures. AFP

Xi calls for closer ties with Spain in face of global 'chaos'