Sino-Argentine ties set to improve further

Closer trade and economic cooperation between China and Argentina is expected, which will benefit not only the two countries but also the rest of the world, said experts and government officials on Monday.

They made the remarks at the launch of the Argentine Studies Center at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

In recent years, economic and trade cooperation between China and Argentina has flourished, with bilateral trade steadily growing. In sectors including agriculture, energy and infrastructure, collaboration between the two countries has progressively intensified, yielding substantial results. In particular, the signing of a MOU(memorandum of understanding) on the Belt and Road Initiative by the two countries about two years ago has opened up vast possibilities for them to expand collaborative endeavors and enhance the depth of their partnership, said Zhao Zhongxiu, president of UIBE.

Marcelo Gabriel Suarez Salvia, Argentine ambassador to China, said that he is very optimistic about the future of the trade relationship between the two nations.

"Argentina and China hold a very long friendship and a very strong partnership. Our economies are very complementary to each other. In that regard, Argentina has become a very reliable provider of food for China. China has become a very reliable investor in Argentina, particularly in the mining sector and in clean energy," he said.

Clean energy is key for the future of Argentina, and China is leading in that area, he added, saying "everything seems to be very positive for the future in terms of our friendship and bilateral relationship".

The ambassador also agreed that cooperation between the two countries in clean energy will benefit not only themselves, but also the rest of the world.

"Because as long as we can improve our energy efficiency and clean energy production, it's not only a benefit for Argentina and China as a provider of all the equipment that is needed to do that. Also since it will have a beneficial impact on the environment, that will be a benefit to the world," he said.

"It's a win-win situation, which is clearly one of the guides that China follows when engaging in trade relationships with other countries," he added.

Experts and officials also said the establishment of UIBE's Argentine Studies Center marks an important step in bilateral exchanges.

Zhao said the center aims to become an important channel for Sino-Argentine academic exchanges, a think tank platform for economic and trade cooperation, and a bridge for cultural exchanges.

"With a pragmatic attitude and pioneering spirit, we will promote mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Argentina in more areas," Zhao said.

"We believe that with support and joint efforts, the center will certainly become a crucial force in promoting the comprehensive development of Sino-Argentina relations."

The establishment of the center signifies the deepening and strengthening of friendly relations between the two countries, the ambassador said.

"Through intellectual exchanges and academic research, we will better understand the complexity and vast potential of bilateral relations, thereby promoting deeper and more practical cooperation between the two countries in various strategic fields," he added.

Contact the writers at liuzhihua@chinadaily.com.cn