TRADE WARS Trump tariffs everyone, with rate on China set to soar above 50% Yesterday 00:24 US President Donald Trump announces steepest US tariffs in a century, unnerving investors who see a trade war ahead.
AS I SEE IT Demography should help the US keep China at bay 15-03-2025 07:46 Despite the fact that demography has always been China’s not so secret weapon, in recent years it has become a major problem that seems certain to put a premature end to the imperial dreams of Xi and his immediate successors. by James Neilson
OPINION & ANALYSIS Is Donald Trump good for Argentina? 15-03-2025 07:40 Trump’s new transactional and short-term economic order overlaps with a new gangster-style and hyper-materialistic political order. by Jorge Fontevecchia
Global trade Trump escalates global trade war, sparking tit-for-tat tariffs 04-03-2025 12:27 Confirmation of the levies lays to rest doubts Trump would actually follow through on his repeated threats to upend global economic ties to counter what he casts as imbalanced trade.
As I see it Hail to the chiefs 01-03-2025 06:15 Much of the world is reverting to an older formula in which it is taken for granted that everything depends on the whims of a handful of big men. by James Neilson
GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY Gutting aid, US cedes soft power game to China 12-02-2025 14:52 Successive US administrations have vowed to wage a global competition with China. But by freezing nearly all US foreign aid, Washington has effectively ceded one of its main levers of influence.
AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY Soy falls as US-China talks loom, weather improves in Argentina 05-02-2025 15:23 Soybean prices fall on worries that US-China trade tensions and bearish weather in Argentina.
PANAMA CANAL THREAT Rubio lays down ultimatum to Panama over canal 03-02-2025 09:28 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio makes real on Donald Trump's threats and warns President José Raúl Mulino he must make immediate changes to reduce Chinese influence on the Panama canal.
INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO ‘Trump is the catalyst,’ agree former ambassadors to China 01-02-2025 09:44 Argentina’s two most recent ambassadors to China, Diego Guelar and Sabino Vaca Narvaja, discuss the chessboard facing the world’s two key powers as Donald Trump begins a new term in the United States. by Jorge Fontevecchia
Artificial Intelligence DeepSeek, Chinese AI startup roiling US tech giants 28-01-2025 11:25 Fears of upheaval in the AI gold rush rocked Wall Street, following the emergence of a popular ChatGPT-like model from China, with US President Donald Trump saying it was a "wake-up call" for Silicon Valley.
WORLD ECONOMIC FORuM Milei praises Trump at Davos, but seeks deeper ties with China 22-01-2025 16:37 President indicates he has shifted stance on China, describing the nation as a "great trade partner," and showers praise on US President Donald Trump.
Fossil Fueled Trump leaves Paris climate agreement 21-01-2025 11:45 Trump withdraws from the Paris climate accord for a second time, a defiant rejection of global efforts to combat warming as weather events intensify worldwide.
Global Health WHO 'regrets' Trump decision to pull US from organisation 21-01-2025 11:08 Trump directs US withdrawal from the World Health Organization, triggering "significant restructuring" in the organisation's future.
Soybean Trade War Trump trade war to hurt US farmers more as China turns to Brazil 11-12-2024 14:10 Donald Trump’s initial trade war with China devastated American soybean farmers, slashing exports by nearly 80%. As tensions mount for a possible reprise, the stakes are higher: China has diversified its agricultural imports, turning to Brazil, Argentina, and Australia for staples like soy, corn, and cotton.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL EU reaches long-sought Mercosur deal despite French objections 06-12-2024 12:47 European Union and Mercosur bloc clinch trade deal despite objections of France, which will try to block process; Signing and ratification process could take as long as 18 months.
AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY Argentina seeks its first wheat shipments to China in decades 30-11-2024 09:14 Argentina wheat traders are seeking to close their first significant sales to China since the 1990s, according to the head of the country’s top crop-exporting group.
OPINION & ANALYSIS Long live pragmatism, carajo! 21-11-2024 18:04 President Javier Milei is adjusting his rhetoric to the challenges of power – from his frosty exchanges with Lula and his rapprochement with Xi Jinping, to his contradictions with Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni. by Javier Calvo
SINO-LATIN AMERICAN RELATIONS Xi, Lula meet in Brasília to 'enhance' diplomatic ties 20-11-2024 10:52 Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Brazil to strengthen ties with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, focusing on enhancing trade relations, aligning development strategies, and marking 50 years of diplomatic relations. by Ramon Sahmkow, AFP
BILATERAL RELATIONS From ‘assassins’ to ally? Milei caps turnaround by meeting China's Xi 19-11-2024 13:40 Half-hour discussion with Chinese premier takes place on sidelines of G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janiero.
Foreign relations & diplomacy Milei’s meeting with Xi signals he’s come full circle on China 17-11-2024 08:44 President Javier Milei is preparing for his first sit-down with Xi Jinping, despite once scoffing that he’d never cut deals with communists.
Trade tensions Lula’s embrace of Xi sets up a clash over Trump’s China policy 14-11-2024 12:37 Brazil’s President Lula is advancing a strategic partnership with China, pursuing infrastructure projects to boost Brazil’s economic ties with Asia, despite the risks of upsetting their other largest trade partner: the United States.
Fast fashion Buy now, pay later: Latin America pressured by Chinese online shops 14-11-2024 07:37 Chinese ultra-fast fashion platforms like Shein and Temu have made it Latin America. As Chinese commercial influence grows in the region, governments are implementing tax measures to protect domestic markets.
UNITED STATES ELECTION 2024 World leaders pledge to work with Trump as he claims US election win 06-11-2024 07:34 World leaders raced to congratulate Donald Trump as he claimed a stunning US election victory over Kamala Harris, while financial markets also rose.
Lihtium in Argentina Eramet buys out Tsingshan from Argentina lithium project 24-10-2024 17:50 French miner Eramet SA to buy back Tsingshan Holding Group Co’s stake in an Argentinian lithium project
GEOPOLITICS Brazil reluctant to pick between US and China in polarised world 23-10-2024 23:38 Brazilian leaders are walking a fine diplomatic line to appeal to both the US and China and shield their nation from any potential blowback in an increasingly polarised world.
Economic - Analysis Global public debt to hit US$100 trillion by end of 2024, IMF says 16-10-2024 06:53 Global public debt risks of rising to US$100 trillion by the end of 2024, warns International Monetary Fund.
OPINION & ANALYSIS How economic and strategic alliances are changing in a multipolar world 12-10-2024 06:23 A guide to the new fault lines of geopolitics — from BRICS versus the G7 to Lula and Milei’s ideological rivalry in Latin America.
FOREIGN POLICY Xi’s ‘strategic patience’ pays off as Milei U-turns on China ties 10-10-2024 13:20 President Javier Milei has surprised everyone by changing his approach to the Asian giant. Jorge Malena, a specialist in contemporary Chinese politics and international relations, explains the “realism and pragmatism” behind the La Libertad Avanza leader’s shift in stance. by Cecilia Degl'Innocenti
Economy & World Rio Tinto expands lithium bet with biggest deal since 2007 09-10-2024 14:15 Rio Tinto Group has agreed to purchase Arcadium Lithium Plc in an all-cash deal valuing the US-listed miner at US$6.7 billion.
OPINION & ANALYSIS An expanded BRICS needs to innovate to show its influence 09-10-2024 14:07 Q&A session with research scientist Mihaela Papa, of Center for International Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
DIPLOMACY Argentina's approach to China switches as ideology gives in to interests 07-10-2024 14:00 The Milei administration’s latest political and discursive twist shows that ideology often ends up giving way to interests when it comes to governing.
Economy Rio Tinto makes approach to buy lithium producer Arcadium 07-10-2024 07:57 Rio Tinto group, world’s second-largest miner, makes preliminary move to acquire Arcadium Lithium, producers with operations in Argentina, China, Canada and Australia.
EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL Macron says free-trade deal with Mercosur is unfair for local farmers 02-10-2024 16:48 French President Emmanuel Macron again criticises Mercosur-European Union free-trade deal with, saying accord would put European companies and agricultural workers at a disadvantage.
TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY Lula seeks to lead push for global AI rules during Brazil’s G20 23-09-2024 17:33 As the planet’s largest economies struggle to forge consensus on the future of artificial intelligence, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wants to ensure the developing world isn’t left out of the debate.
MERCOSUR TENSIONS Mercosur-China trade talks must address imbalance, Paraguay says 06-09-2024 11:59 Mercosur would be willing to negotiate a trade agreement with China if it addresses the lopsided commerce between the two trading partners, says Paraguay.
ECONOMY China hits the accelerator in bid to dominate Latin America's auto market 23-08-2024 15:57 It brands were once looked down on when it came to cars, but gradually, China's auto manufacturers are overtaking the Latin American market.
LITHIUM IN LATIN AMERICA New lithium plant inaugurated in Salta Province 03-07-2024 22:41 French mining group Eramet and its Chinese partner Tsingshan inaugurate new lithium exploitation plant, an investment worth US$870 million.
AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY Argentina poised for first China corn cargoes in 15 years 02-07-2024 15:50 Argentina is preparing corn shipments to China that will be the first in 15 years, the latest move by the two countries to expand agricultural trade.
FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY Milei considers China visit as he heads to Italy for G7 13-06-2024 19:30 Pope Francis and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva among special guests attending the G7 Leaders Summit in Italy on June 13-15, which is hosted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
CURRENCY SWAP Central Bank says China currency swap renewed until July 2026 12-06-2024 22:26 Central Bank renews a roughly US$5-billion portion of its currency swap line with the People’s Bank of China for another two years.
CHINA CURRENCY SWAP IMF expects China to reschedule billions in Argentina’s debt 12-06-2024 11:34 IMF expects China to reschedule payments from the US$18-billion swap line that it has extended to Argentina.
Lithium in Argentina China’s CNGR looks to snap up more lithium projects in Argentina 03-06-2024 10:56 Chinese battery-component maker looking to buy major stakes in Argentina brine deposits to extend its foray into the lithium-rich region.
CHINA-LATIN AMERICA China’s US$8.5 billion in steel spurs Latin America toward tariffs 21-05-2024 14:48 One after another, Latin American nations are following in the footsteps of the United States and Europe by imposing prohibitive tariffs on Chinese imports — a strain in what’s been an otherwise cozy relationship.
Diplomatic faux pas Foreign Minister Diana Mondino says 'Chinese people are the same' 03-05-2024 16:28 During questioning about Beijing’s deep space station in Neuquén, Argentina’s foreign minister makes diplomatic faux pas by declaring that it is difficult to tell who is a citizen and who is a military officer because “all Chinese people are the same.”
OPINION & ANALYSIS Milei's foreign policy based on whims and mystical fantasies 29-04-2024 13:26 Argentina’s president moves the country according to his ideological whims. Why Milei got involved in the Middle East conflict, tensions with China and a meeting that never materialised with Donald Trump. by Juan Luis González
Foreign relations & diplomacy Top officials to meet People's Bank of China chief amid swap talks 26-04-2024 17:20 Argentina’s Central Bank Governor Santiago Bausili and Finance Secretary Pablo Quirno are scheduled to meet with People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng in Beijing on Monday.
INTERVIEW James Rubin: 'China is supporting Russia's war in Ukraine and repeating its crazy arguments' 20-04-2024 05:24 China is supporting “materially, diplomatically, and even repeating Russia’s crazy arguments for this war,” says James Rubin, the United States’ top diplomat in charge of battling disinformation abroad. by Agustino Fontevecchia
RELATIONS WITH CHINA Central Bank chief Bausili among top officials headed to China 18-04-2024 18:02 Top government officials are preparing to visit China in the next few weeks as President Javier Milei ditches his aggressive rhetoric against Beijing in a bid to deepen ties with a key trade partner.
GEOPOLITICAL ROW Argentine delegation inspects Chinese space station in Neuquén 18-04-2024 14:42 Group of government officials, scientists and experts visit controversial deep space station run by Beijing; Inspection comes after heavy pressure from Washington.
FOREIGN POLICY & ECONOMY Mondino: Mercosur must open up to ‘agreements with other countries’ 17-04-2024 17:16 Argentina's Foreign Minister Diana Mondino calls for modernisation of Mercosur rules and backs push for free-trade deal with China.