MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Macri targets Chinese tourists; no need of a visa to visit Argentina

President Macri held a half hour meeting on Saturday with his host Xi Jinping to confirm bilateral trade and investments

Argentine president Mauricio Macri announced in China that besides boosting and balancing bilateral trade and confirming the infrastructure and energy deals reached by his predecessor, Chinese tourists will no longer need visas to visit Argentina.

 Easing of restrictions for visas comes at a time when the Macri government is seeking to boost Chinese tourism in Argentina from the current 30,000-40,000 that arrive every year. The administration thinks there is a lot of room to grow there considering a whopping 100 million Chinese citizens travel internationally every year.

The announcement in Hangzhou in anticipation of the G20 summit is a strong goodwill signal for host president Xi Jinping. However the exemption will only apply to Chinese citizens who already have visas to enter the United States or the European Union. Yet even those who still need to get the visa will benefit, as the new document will be valid for five years, rather than the current 90 days.

The meetings with Chinese leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit that are taking place will mark yet another confirmation that Macri is set to continue strong relations with China that were solidified under his predecessor, former president Cristina Fernández. This is Macri’s first G20 Summit.

“We have come to the G20 for the first time with lots of expectations and a clear intention of working with the world’s most powerful countries in the fight against drug trafficking, poverty and terrorism,” Macri was quoted.

On Saturday President Xi Jinping met with Macri and said that China and Argentina, both major emerging-market economies and mutual comprehensive strategic partners, should strengthen exchanges and cooperation in tackling challenges and seeking common development.

“China is satisfied with the momentum of bilateral relations and would like to work with Argentina to seek greater development of their ties in the new era”, pointed out Xi. The Chinese leaded added that the two countries should ensure the implementation of major railway, hydrology and nuclear energy projects, and discuss further cooperation in finance.

Xi also called for more exchanges in culture, science and technology, tourism, football and localities as 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of China-Argentina diplomatic ties.

Macri said Argentina is committed to deepening friendship with China and willing to push for cooperation in energy, economy and trade, investment, quality control, infrastructure and tourism.

This Monday foreign ministers Susana Malcorra and Wang Yi are scheduled to sign an additional protocol on the Chinese Neuquen satellite tracking station in which Beijing pledges all activities will be exclusively for civilian purposes and not military.

Macri so far has held bilateral meetings with several world leaders, and received strong support from US president Obama, but no word so far has emerged about British Prime Minister Theresa May, as was speculated. However Argentine sources believe that the two leaders will have time to meet sometime between 18/22 later this month when they both attend the UN General Assembly.