Chinese President Xi Jinping called on China and the European Union to jointly defend globalization and oppose what he called 'unilateral acts of bullying,' in an apparent reference to the latest U.S. tariffs.

According to Reuters, Xi, who held talks with visiting Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing on Friday, said there are no winners in a tariff war and that confronting the international community leads to self-isolation. 

The Chinese leader said China and the European Union are both major global economic systems and strong supporters of economic globalization and international trade.

Sanchez, for his part, said the EU supports free trade and opposes unilateral tariffs, while urging China and the U.S. to hold talks to ease tensions.
 
The Spanish leader also called for a more balanced relationship between the 27-member EU and China amid their bilateral trade issues, expressing hope to boost communication and uphold the global trade order.