Chinese investment in Catalonia triples compared to the previous five-year period

Chinese investment in Catalonia has tripled in the 2020–2024 period compared to 2015–2019, reaching more than €1.3 billion, according to Jordi Ortiz, Foreign Direct Investment Director at Catalonia Trade & Investment. “This places China as the fifth-largest foreign investor in Catalonia,” Ortiz said during the Investment and Growth: The Role of Chinese Companies in Catalonia forum, organized by La Vanguardia in collaboration with the Spanish-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

The event, held at Factorial Barcelona, brought together over 60 representatives from Catalan and Chinese companies to discuss business collaboration and new growth opportunities. Participating companies included Huawei, Ficosa, Esteve, Indiba, Huayi Compressor Barcelona, and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Catalonia, a bridge between Europe and China

Ortiz highlighted the role of Catalonia as a strategic hub for sustainable and high-quality investment, strengthened by the creation of Catalonia Trade & Investment’s China Desk, a dedicated service that supports Chinese companies in setting up and expanding in the region: “Our goal is not just to attract more investment, but to ensure it contributes to competitiveness and sustainability. Chinese technology is essential to achieve this.”

He explained that the China Desk has helped accelerate Chinese investment projects in Catalonia over the past five years, reflecting growing interest in strategic sectors such as electric mobility, renewable energy, and battery technologies, where China is a global leader.

“China as the fifth-largest foreign investor in Catalonia”

Jordi Ortiz, Foreign Direct Investment Director at Catalonia Trade & Investment

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Huawei: innovation and talent for a digital and green Catalonia

For Huawei, the collaboration between China and Catalonia is rooted in a shared vision of digital transformation and sustainability. Carmen González, Vice President of Huawei Spain, outlined the company’s ongoing projects: “We have been in Catalonia for more than 24 years, contributing to its digitalization through AI, cloud services, and connectivity solutions. Our goal is to contribute to Catalonia becoming a digital and green hub, combining innovation, technology, and human development.”

González highlighted Catalonia’s dynamic innovation ecosystem, characterized by agile technology companies, startups, and universities that drive digital transformation. She emphasized that this environment makes Catalonia an ideal location for developing advanced connectivity, artificial intelligence, and green energy solutions.

Huawei collaborates with local institutions such as the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona to train young professionals in these emerging technologies, reinforcing Catalonia’s position as a leading digital and sustainable economy in Europe.

A partnership built on trust and shared innovation

Xavier Pujol, CEO of Ficosa, emphasized that collaboration -not competition- is the key to success between Europe and China: “Walls can’t be built; cooperation is the only way forward. Europe has a major responsibility to foster partnerships that generate shared growth.”

Ficosa, a Catalan automotive supplier present in China for over 25 years with 800 employees, is working closely with Chinese counterparts on projects linked to vehicle connectivity, automation, and energy efficiency.

Industrial and scientific collaboration

Other participants shared examples of successful partnerships. Wen Tao, Deputy General Manager of Huayi Compressor Barcelona, explained how the company benefited from Catalonia’s industrial ecosystem: “In Barcelona, we have leveraged the network of industrial and technology suppliers to connect globally.”

Meanwhile, Sun Xuejie, Managing Director at Esteve, highlighted the trust between the two territories in the pharmaceutical sector: “China and Catalonia are reliable partners for developing innovative medicines and conducting clinical trials.”

Strengthening a long-term alliance

Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing noted the rapid evolution of this economic relationship: “China’s investment volume in Spain has multiplied by five over the past 20 years. We want to continue developing joint projects between Spanish and Chinese companies.”

The forum demonstrated that Chinese companies play a growing role in Catalonia’s economic transformation, especially in strategic fields such as technology, energy, mobility, and health, areas where collaboration fosters not only growth, but also sustainability and innovation.