15 Trips, 117,000km: Illa’s Global Push
President Salvador Illa has undertaken 15 international trips in his first two years in office, travelling 117,000 kilometres to advance Catalonia’s economic interests abroad. This marks a significant increase in long-distance travel compared to his predecessor, Pere Aragonès, who made 17 trips but covered only 66,000km, according to data from El Periódico. Illa’s international strategy has focused on intercontinental travel, with five major trips to Japan and South Korea, China, Mexico, the United States, and most recently Vietnam and Singapore. His administration frames the effort as essential to helping Catalan businesses access new markets amid global instability, including US tariffs and disruptions in global trade routes.
The world is there to be part of. We must step in, get to know it, and give political and institutional support to the work of our delegations.
This quote from Illa, delivered during a visit to Japan and South Korea, underscores his administration’s rationale for expanding Catalonia’s international footprint, as reported by govern.cat.
Asia and Europe as Strategic Priorities
Illa has identified Europe and Asia as key regions. He has visited Belgium three times, primarily to strengthen Catalonia’s presence in EU institutions in Brussels. Other European destinations include France (three times), Italy (twice), and the UK (twice). In Asia, Illa has made three trips covering five countries. The Generalitat sees the region as vital for export growth, particularly as a hedge against US trade policy under former President Trump. During a trip to Japan and South Korea, Illa announced plans for a new delegation in China, later confirming a July visit focused on economic and political ties. He also announced the development of a comprehensive 'Asia Plan' to coordinate Catalonia’s strategy across the continent, where, he noted, 60% of the world’s population and more than half of global economic output are concentrated.
Expanding Catalonia’s Global Network
The expansion of the Generalitat’s international delegations is backed by the current government agreement with ERC, which calls for broadening the network. Currently, there are 21 delegations worldwide; Illa has announced new offices in China, Jordan, and Canada, bringing the total to 24 by the end of the term. This growth reverses the 2017 closure of nearly all Catalan delegations by the Spanish government under Mariano Rajoy during the suspension of autonomy. Illa’s approach has been aided by cooperation with Spanish embassies abroad, a shift from previous administrations under Carles Puigdemont, Quim Torra, and even Aragonès, whose trips sometimes included political messaging on Catalan independence that caused friction with Madrid.
Looking ahead, Illa plans two or three more trips before the end of the year, including a planned visit to Ukraine to express support for its war effort against Russia. This continues a pattern of combining economic outreach with high-level diplomatic engagement, including meetings with Pope Leo XIV, King Charles III, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by Quim Bertomeu, Quim Bertomeu,Sara González,Gisela Boada, EFE, elmundo.es, Quim Riera Guitart, Diari de Girona.
