The chancellor of Argentina, Diana Mondinoended his tour of China with a diplomatic agenda Focused on strengthen the business relationship with the Asian regime and promote investments for the country. The main focus of the official visit was currency swap renewalwhose next maturity is equivalent to 4.9 billion dollars and they are key to strengthening the reserves of the Central Bank (BCRA).
In the last leg of the passage through Beijing, the head of Argentine diplomacy met with Wang Yi, Xi Jinping’s foreign minister. She was escorted by the Secretary of Finance, Pablo Quirnothe president of the BCRA, Santiago Bausilithe Secretary of International Economic Relations of the Foreign Ministry, Marcelo Cimaand the Chief of Staff of the San Martín Palace, Frederick Barttfeld.
During the meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Mondino agreed on the importance of strengthen cooperation on “issues of mutual interest.” The Government considered that the meeting was “fruitful” and was developed with a “frank dialogue.” In that sense, they stated that “coincidences were highlighted and differences were respected.”
The conclave served to cool political tensions resulting from the verbal attacks that Javier Milei had directed against the communist regime during the electoral campaign and in the first days of administration. The President applied a foreign policy turn that aligned Argentina on a geopolitical level with the United States, Israel and Western powers. The San Martín Palace executes diplomatic relations within this framework and tries not to compromise any sensitive point in strategic, defense and international security matters, before the government of Xi Jinping.
The Great Hall of the People sustains the interest of business expansion in Latin America. Washington is closely following these steps and demands that the Casa Rosada prevent the Chinese advance on issues that alter the balance of geopolitical power. Especially, a point that raises alarms is the construction of the dams that China executes in southern Argentina. By Milei’s decision, the works are paralyzed since the beginning of the year and Xi Jinping wants to reactivate them.
One of the points strain of the last few days, in that sense, was the inspection that the Casa Rosada requested from the Chinese base in Neuquén. The objective of this operation was to ensure that it was indeed a center intended for the scientific investigation without any other purpose that affects national security or compromises strategic geopolitical issues.
The visit took place on April 18th. Both the Chinese Embassy in Buenos Aires and the Foreign Ministry reported that the visit to the deep space stations of the China National Satellite Launching, Monitoring and General Control Agency (CLTC) in Neuquén. The Casa Rosada considered that the visit was “valuable” and noted that it served to “favor technological exchange in space matters, within the framework of mutual commitment in the peaceful uses of space technology.
As he knew Infobae, the issue was ratified during the meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Argentina expressed its willingness to maintain commercial exchange with Beijing. However, Mondino maintains Milei’s prerogative to apply equidistance in matters that compromise the geopolitical link with the White House.
Before the visit to the Chinese foreign minister, Mondino was in the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), where he spoke with the vice president of the entity, Zhao Chenxin. The main topic addressed was the bilateral mechanisms in force regarding financing infrastructure projects. This organization is interested in allocating funds for investments in areas such as transportation, energy, mining and infrastructure.
In this way, Mondino concluded the mission in China. The second part of his diplomatic tour will continue in Europe to visit France, Belgium and Portugal. The first destination will be Paris, where he will participate in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OECD. The chancellor will go as an “observer”. Argentina intends to begin efforts to access this organization that brings together developed countries.
The process involves complying with a series of steps and goals in institutional and economic matters. It can be extended for a period of five to six years. Mondino the Roadmap to advance towards that objective at the hands of Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the OECD, with whom he will maintain a bilateral relationship. The Argentine delegation will be in France between May 2 and 3.
