Milei’s warning about break with China creeps into president’s tour

The words of the La Libertad Avanza presidential candidate Javier Milei about his desire to cut relations with China have reached the Asian giant. Chinese business leaders have commented with “concern” about the libertarian leader's remarks during meetings held during President Alberto Fernández's trip to Beijing and Shanghai.

“There is concern,” government sources in the delegation headed by President Fernández on his latest official tour around China admit, saying they have heard such expressions from locals in the meetings during the first few days of the trip.

In less than a week, Argentina will choose its next head of state. China, Argentina’s second-largest trading partner, observes the process and awaits the result.

Milei, the most voted for candidate of the PASO primaries on August 13, has anticipated that maintaining business relations with China is not his desire. He also wants to sever ties with Brazil, the country’s main trading partner.

Those words also imply that the alliances forged by Fernández’s administration over the last few years, including Argentina's potential entry into the BRICS group of nations, scheduled for January 1 next year, could be suspended, since the libertarian proposes to do away with the country’s two main partners due to their ideological positions.

“Those words are not anchored on data. They’ll have to reconsider,” an official source remarked.

In addition to entering the BRICS, Argentina maintains strong ties with China, translated into the financing of the Cepernic and Kirchner dams in Santa Cruz, the authorisation of yuan swaps and pending projects in the Belt and Road initiative.