Hopefully, CELAC will “help us deepen links with China”, Argentine president

Monday, January 23rd 2023 - 10:14 UTC

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“China in the region acts respecting our logic and our policies. They have been most respectful with the country, and I am very grateful”.

Argentine president Alberto Fernandez is confident that “Celac can help deepen links with China”, and strongly criticized the United States for “demonizing” the Asian giant. On Monday/Tuesday Argentina and president Fernandez will be hosting the Community of Latin American and Caribbean, CELAC, seventh summit of heads of state when all the leaders of the region are expected to attend, including the 'bad boys' of the club such as Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela, Cuban president Miguel Días Canel and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega.

“The United States since Trump have sponsored and encouraged the ”demon“ of China, but I never participated of that idea. Argentina is a sovereign country and has the right to hold all the links and relations with those it considers friends, and with those who offer the best opportunities to develop”, Fernandez told a Chinese news video.

“ I would be most ungrateful if I said that China has not acted with that spirit towards Argentina. I believe United States can have a mature link with Argentina, similar to that we enjoy with China”. Fernandez insisted, “I have also rejected that form of pressure, since I don't think it is useful to encourage political fear, because it is not reasonable. China in the region acts respecting our logic and our policies. They have been most respectful with the country, and I am very grateful”.

Talking about the Celac summit, president Fernandez described it as a mechanism where we can act as a region, but it also has a major weakness and that is the lack of sufficient institutionalism. “But it is a good motive for the leaders of the region to meet. What is regrettable is that Brazil was out of the international scenario, and with Lula we can advance the idea of regional integration. I trust Celac will help deepen links with China, it is strategic...”

Talking about his government and what is currently happening in Argentina, the president said “we received a country in a critical situation. We had four most difficult years, the pandemic, the consequences of an unexpected war, but overall I believe. looking back and where we stand now that. I think it has been positive”.

“The United States since Trump have sponsored and encouraged the ”demon“ of China, but I never participated of that idea,” said Fernandez.

Argentina is a sovereign country and has the right to hold all the links and relations with those it considers friends, and with those who offer the best opportunities to develop“, Fernandez insisted
”I would be most ungrateful if I said that China has not acted with a mature spirit towards Argentina. I believe United States can have a mature link with Argentina, similar to that we enjoy with China”