Sergio Samper, CEO of Grupo Jorge, together with representatives of other Spanish companies such as Cepsa, Osborne, Isdin, and Roca, traveled from Madrid as part of the Business Advisory Board accompanying Pedro Sánchez in this official meeting in China.
This trip took place in a context marked by trade tensions between the European Union and the Asian country, which directly affect the pork sector. During the trip, the President of the Government insisted on the need to find negotiated solutions to the tariff tensions between the European Union and China, stressing that "a trade war would not benefit anyone."
The pig sector at the centre of the agenda
The pig sector, key to Spain's export economy, has been in the spotlight after China announced in June an anti-dumping investigation into imports of pork and derivatives from the European Union. This measure is a response to the tariffs imposed by Brussels on Chinese electric vehicles, and creates a situation that directly affects Spain, the largest European exporter of pork to China. According to Interporc, Spain exported more than 560,000 tonnes of pork products to China in 2023, worth 1.223 billion euros.
For this reason, the Executive is committed to redirecting the relationship with China and avoiding trade conflicts that, it believes, affect everyone, and are of particular concern to the pig sector.
Sergio Samper has stated that Grupo Jorge will remain a key player in discussions and collaborations with the Government, in an effort to maintain its commercial relations in an increasingly competitive environment. Grupo Jorge's participation in this trip reflects its commitment to internationalisation and the strengthening of its commercial relations with China, an essential market for the growth of the Spanish pork sector.
During the meeting, the Government delegation from La Moncloa proposed "fostering a balanced relationship, based on respect and reciprocity" with its largest commercial partner outside the EU.
