The Chinese Foreign Ministry declared this Tuesday that it would be a “big mistake” for Argentina cut ties with “countries as big as Brazil and China”, a possibility suggested in recent months by the elected president of Argentina, Javier Milei, and some of his collaborators.
The spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Mao Ning thus responded to recent statements to the Russian agency Sputnik by the advisor of Milei in foreign policy, Diana Mondino, who assured: “we will stop interfering with the Government of Brazil and China“.
The spokesperson surmised that there are “discrepancies” about the meaning of Mondino’s words – whose name sounds like a possible Foreign Minister of the new Argentine Government – and asserted that “no country can separate diplomatic relations from the development of economic and commercial cooperation.” .
Mao recalled in a press conference that “China is the second commercial partner of Argentina and the first export market for its agricultural products.
“The two sides have strong economic complementarity and great potential for cooperation,” the spokesperson added.
According to Sputnik, Mondino noted that “the relationship with both countries – in reference to China and Brazil– will be excellent as it should be”, but that “we must distinguish what the Government is from what the State is”.
China congratulated on Monday Milei and assured that she remained willing to work with Argentina to “continue the friendship between the two countries.”
Two years ago, Milei He assured that he “would not do business with China” and stated that cutting relations with the Asian giant “would not be a macroeconomic tragedy.” Last August, China recommended Milei “visit” the country and “observe”, after the ultra-liberal candidate stated that the inhabitants of China “are not free.”
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Relations between China and Argentina
The position of Milei Regarding China, it contrasts with that maintained by his rival, Sergio Massa, who traveled last June as Argentine Minister of Economy to Beijing, where he stated that Argentina considered the Asian country a highly relevant economic and commercial partner, and expressed its willingness to strengthen cooperation in these areas.
Beijing and Buenos Aires have maintained good relations in recent years: Argentina last year it joined the New Silk Roads, China’s main international economic initiative to consolidate its influence through infrastructure, although it remains to be seen if it will continue to be part of it with the Government resulting from the recent elections.
For its part, China It has investments in Argentina in strategic areas such as infrastructure and mining, in addition to a “swap” agreement by which the South American country pays the Asian country for exports in yuan and not in dollars.
Likewise, numerous Chinese companies have their sights set on the South American country, especially in the agricultural sector and natural resources such as lithium, a fundamental material for the Chinese electric car industry and of which Argentina is the fourth largest producer in the world. (EFE)
