President Illa bids for 'strong and long-term' relationship with China

The Catalan president, Salvador Illa, has made a "positive" review of the institutional trip to China, which started on July 24 and finished on Friday.

He said so during a press conference in Shanghai, China. During his speech, he thanked Chinese authorities for the welcome and said he bid for a "strong and long-term" relationship with China and other countries, as he believes it is the way of "safely" working.

Illa also pointed out that the relationship has to be balanced, as if "ties are unbalanced, and only benefit one party, these ties are forced to fail." Before the trip started, he had already said he was planning to strengthen ties with the Asian country.

During his trip, the Catalan president has met with leaders of the Chery car manufacturer who announced they would open a R&D center in Cornellà de Llobregat, just outside of Barcelona.

The car manufacturer already manufactures cars in a factory in Catalonia and will now expand its presence.

He also said that the current global situation, means that it is "now time" to start getting closer to China and to many other countries.

Aside from automakers, the Catalan president also met with officials from the Shanghai and Barcelona ports. The Chinese and the Catalan infrastructures will now implement a carbon-neutral maritime route between both sites.

The initiative is already in place between Rotterdam and Singapore, and the goal is that all cargo shipments are carbon-neutral from start to end.

At a speech in Shanghai with hundreds of business people, Illa praised Catalonia aas the "entry point to Europe, South America, and Northern Africa."

He highlighted that the territory is "stable and enjoys rule of law" but also mentioned key infrastructures such as the Catalan capital's port and airport in a "fast-changing world."

Illa also visited Catalan companies in China, such as AMES, which develops robotics and machinery, and Ficosa, which researches, develops, produces, and sells pieces for car manufacturers.

At his closing press conference on Friday afternoon, local time, Illa also stated that the Catalan tax agency will manage "the totality" of the personal income tax from 2028. He says there will not be more delays, although it was expected to come into effect in 2026.

Catalonia will boost the relationship with the Asian country with a government's office in Beijing, a measure announced by Illa very early in his trip to China.

The trip to the Asian country takes place a couple of months after Illa visited South Korea and Japan.