page_title: China–Spain relations
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: China–Spain relations / History
caption_attribution_description: Español: La alcaldesa entrega la Llave de Madrid al presidente chino en su visita al Ayuntamiento. El símbolo, en palabras de Xi Jinping, servirá para abrir “aún más la puerta de la amistad y el intercambio” entre los dos países y sus ciudades. 28/11/2018. Manuela Carmena, alcaldesa de Madrid ha entregado esta mañana, miércoles 28 de noviembre, la Llave de oro de la ciudad al presidente Chino, Xi Jinping, que se encuentra de visita oficial en Madrid, en lo que es su primera parada del viaje a Europa que realiza tras su nombramiento al frente del país asiático. En la Casa de la Villa, Carmena ha subrayado la importante presencia de la comunidad china en la ciudad, lo que ha llevado al Ayuntamiento de Madrid a incorporar “como una fiesta suya”, la celebración del Año Nuevo Chino, que ya se ha consolidado en el calendario cultural madrileño.
context_page_description: China–Spain relations have existed since the 16th century. Relations between Spain and the People's Republic of China were established in 1973.
context_section_description: Contact between China and Spain first occurred between the Ming dynasty of China and the Spanish-ruled Philippines.
  Spain fantasised taking over China.
  When the Chinese pirate Limahong attacked Manila in 1574, officials in Fujian Province were willing to let the Spanish establish a trade port on an island south of Xiamen, in return for Limahong's capture. However, the governor of the Philippines did not respond favourably, and the offer came to nothing when Limahong escaped from Manila.
  In 1598, Cantonese officials allowed Spain to trade in El Piñal, a port in the Pearl River Delta near Macau. The Portuguese in Macau reacted violently and chased away the Spanish from the area by arms in 1600.
  The Qing dynasty and Spain had diplomatic relations.
  In 1927, a treaty recognising extraterritoriality was signed between the Kingdom of Spain and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government. The Spanish consul general in Shanghai was also the minister plenipotentiary to China. The Republic of China had diplomatic relations with Spain under Francisco Franco.
  Francoist Spain's relations with the People's Republic of China began in 1973 after both countries were still reeling from the aftermath of civil wars.
  Relations have gradually improved, with official state visits and various exchanges. Spain hosted Expo 2008, with China being a participant, and China hosted Expo 2010 in which Spain had a pavilion.
caption: Manuela Carmena and Xi Jinping during the later's visit to Madrid in 2018
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