From the Philippines to Spain and China

Spain has always had a special connection to Beijing and it has somewhat successfully positioned itself as a bridge within the European Union. Historically speaking, Spain was one of the first western nations to establish relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1973.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the Association for Philippines-China Understanding (APCU) was initially organized as an informal group of friends in 1972 (one year prior to Spain) to coordinate aid from the People’s Republic of China for victims of a devastating flood in Central Luzon. APCU was founded by then former Department of Education Secretary and National Artist for Literature, Alejandro “Anding” Roces. Roces served as the first chairman of APCU in 1972 and the organization was formally registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 1974, with the help of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who became chairperson emeritus.

Though one year apart, both Spain and the Philippines established friendly ties with China and, having said all this, while the Philippines and Spain have had a longstanding relationship deeply rooted in our history and culture, perhaps one can also say that of Spain and China, considering they have, as two countries, established a strategic partnership since 2005. We must also remember that the Philippines and China have been trading for centuries, long before Spanish colonization.

It is interesting to note how Spain manages to keep Beijing close while remaining a staunch “team player” in the West. It is also fascinating to know that a major European power such as Spain is able to balance its loyalty to the EU and NATO with a pragmatic, long-standing friendship with China. As pointed out earlier, Spain has successfully positioned itself as a bridge within the EU that has had a vast impact on logistics and trade.

The New Silk Road, for example, links Yiwu, China, to Spain over a 13,000-plus-km route. The Yiwu-Madrid freight train travels through China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France and Spain. Transit time takes approximately 15-21 days, making it faster than ocean shipping and much cheaper than air cargo. Definitely, the Yiwu-Madrid train is reshaping China-Spain trade as the rail link was a sign of growth for both sides. It has been reported that in 2014, Yiwu and Spain traded about $400 million worth of goods and services and by 2022, that figure had grown to $870 million, making it a 118 percent increase in just eight years.

Looking at the softer side of things, both Spain and China share a deep fascination for fashion and heritage. Spanish brands like Zara and Mango are widely popular in China for offering high-quality, trendy and at the same time affordable fashion. Prior to the pandemic, Spain was seen as a top destination for the big-spending Chinese traveler focused on luxury and glamor instead of its sunny beaches. More importantly, however, it is significant to observe that Instituto Cervantes has had massive growth in China, where the story goes beyond language classes but rather a calculated diplomatic and economic approach that began in 2007 with the number of Spanish students in China surging to around 60,000 and with China leading the world in official Spanish certification (DELE) registrations.

Believe it or not and whether we like it or not, this is fact. Why? Because Spanish has become a business language of high strategic value, with 22 countries around the world that speak Spanish. For the Chinese, mastering Spanish is seen as a golden ticket for Chinese graduates to work for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) or tech giants (like Huawei or BYD) operating in Mexico, Peru or Chile.

For the Filipino, as I have said before, while Spanish was once our lingua franca, learning the language is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity in an ever changing and growing world. Just like China, events such as Día del Libro help promote our culture and heritage back home in the Philippines as it is an occasion for us to celebrate our shared heritage. For us, Día del Libro is more than just a literary festival – it is a celebration of our connection as two peoples – a bridge to the Hispanic-Filipino past, the missing link that connects the Philippines to its history and, more importantly, its economic future. For the Filipino, learning Spanish is a strategic advantage where it can have to its advantage a unique seat in the Ibero-American Summit – a “foot in the door,” so to speak.

In the end, if Spain is the bridge within the European Union, the Philippines is the only country in Asia with a deep, organic Hispanic heritage. By speaking Spanish, Filipinos can act as the primary intermediaries for trade between the ASEAN region and let’s just say… 22 other countries around the world. Seems like we are all connected and such a connection provides us with opportunities to better expand our relationship and furthermore improve our economic position globally.

Strategic alliances are clearly important but that, plus a strong relationship among nations, makes it easier for our leaders and partners to increase cooperation with each other. As we say in Spanish, ¿Como no? It’s about time.