MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

China and Argentina reaffirm strategic partnership; prepare for 2012 celebration

Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping meets Argentine minister Timerman (L) in Beijing

China and Argentina have agreed to further enhance mutual trust and their strategic partnership as the two emerging economies are playing an increasingly important role in the world arena.

“China will work with Argentina to strengthen strategic mutual trust, expand cooperation and coordination within multilateral frameworks in order to promote bilateral ties and benefit the two peoples” Vice President Xi Jinping told Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman on Friday.

During their hour-long meeting on Friday at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing, Xi hailed the development of bilateral ties since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1972 and established the strategic partnership in 2004.

Both China and Argentina are striving for a fairer and reasonable international political and economic order, Xi said, underlining the two countries maintain close coordination on major international issues.

Timerman said Argentina will stick to the one-China policy and firmly support China's stance on Tibet and Taiwan. He said Argentina will boost investment, trade and technology cooperation with China to support economic development as the world situation is undergoing complex changes.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also held talks with Timerman earlier Friday, vowing to further promote the China-Argentina relationship.

The two countries have maintained frequent high-level contacts, continuously expanded economic, trade and cultural cooperation, and closely exchanged views on international and regional issues, Yang said.

Yang also voiced his appreciation for Argentina's adherence to the one-China policy.

“As the coming year will mark the 40th anniversary of our diplomatic ties, China is willing to take this opportunity to work with Argentina to continuously deepen bilateral trust and cooperation,” Yang said.

Timerman said Argentina and China are both significant emerging market countries and share a broad range of consensus, which serves as a solid foundation for the development of bilateral ties

China vice president, Xi Jinping highlighted the “economic and social advances that Argentina has made under President Cristina Fernández government” during his meeting with Timerman.

The minister is on a two-day visit to China with a delegation of forty Argentine business people to promote trade and investment.