China sees Spain’s statements on the SAIC plant in Ferrol as “positive”

The Government of China has positively evaluated the positions expressed by the Spanish central and local governments regarding the electric vehicle factory that the Chinese automobile group SAIC, owner of MG, intends to build in Ferrol.

“China has taken note of the positive statements from the Spanish central and local governments,” Guo Jia-kun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference.

In any case, the official has assured that the Chinese authorities are willing “to continue deepening practical cooperation with Spain” on the basis of mutual respect and benefit.

In this sense, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that Beijing expects Spain to provide “a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies.”

SAIC Motor, with capital from the Chinese Government and owner of brands such as MG, plans to make an initial investment of 200 million euros in the plant, whose works will begin in 2027 and which will begin to be operational before the end of 2028. It is expected to be able to generate 2,300 jobs and produce 120,000 vehicles per year.

Given this investment, several media outlets have published reports from the Ministry of Defense and the Spanish intelligence services that warn of the risk of espionage due to the proximity between the place where this factory would be located and the Ferrol military arsenal and the Navantia shipyard, where work is carried out with US military systems.

This Wednesday, both the president of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, and the delegate of the Government in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, have conveyed a message of “calm” about the factory that the Chinese automobile group intends to build in Ferrol, highlighting the joint work between both administrations.

Specifically, Rueda has referred to the call that the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, made to him this past Tuesday, to announce that the position of her Ministry will be “favorable” to the SAIC plant, despite the necessary conditions that are always established when building this type of factories on land close to a military installation.

“I appreciate the coordination that we have been having on this issue, from the beginning. I think that is how things should be done between the Xunta and the Government to make a very important investment for Ferrolterra and Galicia possible,” he noted.

“We are continuing the process. There are still many things to do. I hope that within the planned times, at the end of next year, this can begin to become a reality,” he stressed, recalling that the idea is for the factory to begin construction at the end of 2027 and for it to be completed before the end of 2028.

SAIC SAYS INVESTMENT WILL SAFEGUARD SPANISH NATIONAL SECURITY

For its part, SAIC assured this Tuesday that the installation of its electric vehicle plant in Ferrol will be carried out “fully safeguarding” the national security of Spain, while showing its respect for all the relevant factors for its implementation to be evaluated.

“The SAIC factory project in Spanish territory is of utmost importance for the area and for the country and at SAIC we understand that all the relevant factors for its implementation are evaluated, including not only the economic ones but also the industrial ones, job creation and national security considerations,” SAIC sources told Europa Press.

In this sense, MG assured that it respects the review process of the Spanish authorities and remains committed to collaborating “closely and transparently” with all relevant stakeholders to comply with applicable regulatory, economic, industrial and national security requirements.

“We reaffirm our commitment to Spain and Europe, and we will continue to collaborate constructively with the competent authorities to support the responsible development of the project, in full compliance with current legislation and regulations,” they added to Europa Press.