Although Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino had the near-impossible task of putting her country on good terms with China despite President Javier Milei's disparaging campaign comments, some common ground was reached this week as the South American diplomat reaffirmed the one-China principle and Beijing backed Argentina's claim to the Falkland/Malvinas Islands.
Trade between China and Latin American countries surpassed US$ 480 billion in 2023, compared to a mere US$ 14 billion back in 2000, based on data from the Customs Administration of the People’s Republic of China (AGA) and the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC.
Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino is on a crusade in China to discuss bilateral issues with an economic giant with whom President Javier Milei had pledged during his campaign that he wanted no ties. “Not only will I not do business with China, I will not do business with any communist,” Milei announced repeatedly on his way to Casa Rosada.
China Construction Bank (Asia), a state owned financial institution filed a petition in Hong Kong to wind up the Shamao Group, after the Chinese real estate and construction developer failed to repay loans worth HK$1.58bn (US$ 201.8m; £159.7m).
China on Tuesday announced an ambitious economic growth target of 5% for 2024, vowing to “seek progress while maintaining stability” amid a sluggish economy and weak confidence among investors and consumers. This contrasts with the 5,2% reported for 2023 and 3% during 2022.
Disgruntled Chinese football fans, blaming Argentine top star Lionel Messi, are now advocating that the Falklands are British, --certainly not Argentine--.Messi failed to play in an exhibition match in Hong Kong, for which the Chinese public paid a considerable sum, and furious frustrated fans are calling the captain of the Argentine World Cup winner a thief and contradicting Beijing's official stance that the Malvinas are a relic of British colonialism and that the Islands belong to Argentina.
In a bizarre turn of events reminiscent of a Hollywood (or Bollywood) plotline, India has released a pigeon that was detained by authorities for eight months on suspicion of espionage. The peculiar case unfolded when the bird was intercepted in May 2023 in the port of Bombay, drawing attention due to two rings tied to its legs containing messages in Chinese.
Argentina is forecasted to increase 5,1% beef and calf production this year, reaching some 3,3 million tons with a domestic consumption of 2.43 million tons, according to the latest report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This follows on a record beef exports 2023, 682.000 tons, despite government measures and export levies aimed at curbing prices in the home market in an election year.
Argentina's Air Force is to move on with the process of purchasing 24 second-hand US-built F-16 fighter jets from Denmark with the White House's nod, it was reported in Buenos Aires. The decision meant dropping the alternative of Chinese-developed JF-17 units in line with President Javier Milei's policy of not joining the BRICS group and not holding Beijing as a key ally.
Brazil's government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ratified the South American country's unequivocal adherence to the One China Principle regarding Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a rogue province. The message was conveyed Friday in Brasilia to Foreign Minister Wang Yi.