BEIJING, April 14, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - 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 in Beijing on Tuesday, according to Chinese state media.

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

Xi told Sanchez the sides should strengthen cooperation in the face of global "chaos and turmoil" and "a contest between justice and force", according to a readout of the talks from state broadcaster 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 at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

"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.

The two countries should "seize opportunities" for cooperation in trade, new energy and technology fields, he added.

At a press conference after the talks, Sanchez welcomed China's role in seeking to resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

"The role China can play is important in order to find diplomatic means that end this war and contribute to stability and peace," Sanchez said.

The pair also discussed "the reforms our multilateral system needs to better recognise the multipolar reality of today's world", he said.

The Spanish prime minister 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.

Sanchez is keen to boost trade with China after Trump, who is due to visit Beijing in May, threatened to cut trade with Spain.

Trump's threats came after Spain denied the use of its military bases for US strikes against Iran, a key economic partner of Beijing.

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