A new China-Europe green energy project has taken shape as HiTHIUM, a Xiamen-based energy storage company that has a branch in Longhua District, signed a strategic investment memorandum with the Government of Spain’s Navarre region, signifying new momentum in Longhua’s push to expand international cooperation.

The agreement was reached during Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s recent visit to China and envisages an initial investment of around 400 million euros (about US$430 million) to build a large-scale battery energy storage system and system manufacturing facility in Navarre, northern Spain. 

HiTHIUM founder and chairman Wu Zuyu (R) signs a strategic investment memorandum with the Government of Spain’s Navarre region, with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (L) looking on, in a ceremony in Beijing recently. Photo courtesy of HiTHIUM

From diplomatic ties to industrial projects

The project bodes well for a growing relationship between Longhua District and Navarre, which formally established a friendly exchange partnership in November 2025. The two sides have since advanced cooperation in industrial coordination, digital innovation and people-to-people exchanges.

Contacts between the two regions date back earlier. In July 2025, Miguel Irujo, Navarre’s regional minister for industry, ecological transition and digital business, led a delegation to the Shenzhen (Longhua) International Cooperation Center, where officials and business representatives explored opportunities in trade and technology collaboration.

Following that visit, both sides maintained regular exchanges and institutional dialogue, laying the groundwork for deeper cooperation. The signing of the friendship memorandum later that year formalized the partnership and set a framework for sustained engagement.

Miguel Irujo (L), Minister for Industry, Ecological Transition and Digital Business of the Government of Navarre, Spain, and Zhang Zhi, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Longhua District Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Longhua District Committee and Longhua District Government, sign a memorandum of friendly exchange and cooperation. Photos courtesy of International Service Longhua unless otherwise stated

Sustained engagement delivers results

Over the past six months, Longhua and Navarre have continued close communication at both government and enterprise levels, focusing on sectors such as low-altitude economy applications and energy research.

The planned facility in Navarre will support the production of advanced energy storage batteries and integrated systems, aligning with Europe’s energy transition goals while providing Chinese firms with a platform to expand globally.

Longhua positions itself as a global connector

International guests explore cooperation opportunities with Longhua District at the Longhua International Cooperation Center.

For Longhua, the deal underscores a broader strategy to strengthen international exchange platforms and facilitate cross-border industrial cooperation.

Through mechanisms such as the Shenzhen (Longhua) International Cooperation Center (LICC), the district has been working to connect local enterprises with overseas partners, enabling projects that combine technological expertise, capital investment and market access.

Officials say cooperation between the two sides is expected to expand further in green energy, advanced manufacturing and innovation-driven industries, as well as in cultural and academic exchanges — reinforcing Longhua’s role as an increasingly active node in global industrial networks.