Overview

• Illa concluded a six-day tour of Japan and South Korea that focused on sowing seeds for future economic and cultural collaborations rather than securing immediate deals.
• He has set a late-July visit to China under the ‘Plan Asia’ initiative, which the Generalitat aims to finalize by year’s end.
• The strategy calls for evaluating whether to establish a permanent Catalan delegation in Beijing alongside existing offices in Tokyo, Seoul and Mumbai.
• The initiative follows Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s recent Asian outreach and seeks to reverse Catalonia’s lag behind Madrid in attracting regional investments.
• Officials expect the expanded presence to boost Catalan exports, attract new investors and showcase regional culture and technology partnerships.