Argentina’s Foreign Minister Diana Mondino concluded her first visit to China on Wednesday on behalf of President Javier Millei’s liberal government, maintaining Buenos Aires’ policy of distancing the country from the Communist Party despite Millei’s campaign promises. declared that he was doing so. .
Mondino said, “No matter how Argentina’s domestic political situation changes, our friendly policy towards China will remain unchanged.” Said At Tuesday’s meeting, her Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, said:
— Diana Mondino (@DianaMondino) April 30, 2024
Mr. Mondino reportedly spent four days in Argentina meeting with regime-affiliated business leaders and Communist Party officials, including representatives of notorious regime companies such as Huawei and Xiaomi, seeking greater investment in the country. There is. Argentina is currently experiencing its worst financial crisis in its history, the result of 20 years of socialist government before Millais won the 2023 presidential election.
An economist by trade, Millais identifies as a liberal and anarcho-capitalist who actively opposes communism and all forms of what he calls left-wing “collectivism.” On China, presidential candidate Millais declared the genocidal regime “murderous” and vowed not to pursue relations with China.
“I’m not going to promote relations with communists. With Cuba, with Venezuela, with North Korea, with Nicaragua, with China,” Milley said in an interview with Bloomberg News in August.
Mondino adopted a much more conciliatory attitude in Beijing. Says The newspaper said Argentina “pursues an open-door policy and welcomes Chinese companies to invest and develop their businesses in Argentina.” South China Morning Post. Mondino insisted that promises made with China during previous socialist regimes would remain, including projects launched under China’s predatory Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
“Mr. Mondino pointed out that no matter how Argentina’s domestic political situation changes, its friendly policy toward China will not change,” China’s state-run CGTN news agency reported. report. “Argentina adheres to the one-China principle and intends to continue promoting cooperation in infrastructure construction, trade, investment, finance, tourism, space, Antarctica, oceans and environmental protection under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. ” he said. ”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Diana Mondino in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on April 30, 2024. (Ding Haitao/Xinhua, via Getty)
The “one China principle” falsely claims that Taiwan does not exist, but is instead a part of China that has been taken over by “separatist” groups. In reality, the “separatists” are the legitimate democratically elected government of Taiwan, a sovereign state with no ties to the Communist Party.
taiwan government Congratulations Milay talks about the presidential victory in November.
As well as Chinese media, the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs celebrated The meeting between Mondino and Wang was described as “fruitful” and “frank and open,” with “agreement emphasized and differences respected.” The Foreign Ministry quoted Mondino as saying Argentina wants to “strengthen and expand cooperation in commerce, investment, energy, infrastructure and tourism.”
“Although Argentina has changed governments, Argentina has fulfilled its contracts and fulfilled its commitments,” Mondino said.
In addition to Wang, the Foreign Ministry said Mondino met with representatives of China’s largest companies, including technology companies Huawei and ZTE, which are banned from entering the United States due to national security concerns. pointed out. Companies also involved In the face of widespread human rights violations around the world, include The ongoing genocide of Uyghurs. The meeting was part of “vigorous activities to promote Argentina’s exports in the economic and commercial sector.”
La Canciger Mondino continues China’s official agenda: Beijing and the political and economic reunion.
For a popular official visit to China, Diana Mondino reunited with China’s Vice President and Vice Secretary of Commerce… pic.twitter.com/PTVNRJOqzq
— Cancilleria Argentina 🇷 (@CancilleriaARG) April 29, 2024
Under Millay’s predecessor, Alberto Fernández, Argentina took unprecedented steps to expand China’s influence within its borders, most notably joining Belt and Road in 2022. Later that year, Fernandez announced that China had agreed to a $5 billion currency swap agreement. The move is said to be to keep Argentina’s collapsing economy afloat.
Milley strongly urged Argentina to distance itself from China and improve relations with the United States and Israel.
“Not only do I not do business with China, I don’t do business with China. I don’t do business with communists,” Milley told Tucker Carlson in a September interview. “I am a defender of freedom, peace and democracy. There is no place for communists. There is no place for Chinese people. [Russian strongman Vladimir] President Putin has no place there. Let’s go further: [socialist Brazilian President] lula [da Silva] There is no place for it. ”
Millay after that clarified He believes the government should not interfere in trade, and therefore would not prohibit private companies from working with China, but said he would not “form strategic alliances from a geopolitical perspective with people who do not respect freedom.” I’m not going to tie it,” he said.
“If tomorrow you [as a private company] If you want to trade with China, do it, that’s not my problem. Give it a try,” he said.
Mr. Milay has taken a major step toward distancing Argentina from China. is in decline The country will be invited to join BRICS, an economic and political bloc made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, in the second half of 2023. China is the most influential member of BRICS and has led the group’s expansion to now include Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Saudi Arabia has also accepted the invitation, but reportedly has not yet completed the necessary formalities to participate.
The Chinese government respectfully congratulated Milay on her election victory and her appointment at the end of 2023. State media dismissed his campaign promises as rhetoric and compared him to pro-China “conservative” former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.
“In the past, some have deliberately exaggerated claims that Argentina would ‘separate’ from China and Brazil, but even some rational Western experts were not optimistic about this hype.” There is an article published in the same magazine. global times I read it in November. “In fact, although the political spectrum of Latin American countries, which oscillates between left and right, remains fundamentally unchanged, relations between China and Latin American countries have shown a trend of increasing stability in recent years.”
“Argentina’s neighbor Brazil had a similar experience under former president Jair Bolsonaro. “This is because China’s pragmatic cooperation with Latin American countries, including Argentina and Brazil, has brought tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries.”
