China’s foreign ministry issued a warning to Argentina, cautioning that it would be a “serious mistake” for the country to cut ties with major nations such as China and Brazil. This warning comes in the wake of celebrations in Argentina following the election of Javier Milei as its new president. Milei, a right-wing libertarian, has been critical of China and Brazil, expressing a desire to strengthen ties with the United States while refusing to engage with “communists.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, emphasized the importance of the trade partnership between China and Argentina, noting that the elected government places great significance on their relationship with China. In response to a statement by Diana Mondino, an economist expected to become Argentina’s foreign minister, about not joining the BRICS group, China expressed willingness to continue working with Argentina to promote stability and long-term development of their bilateral relations.
Argentina was among the six countries invited to join the BRICS bloc, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Mondino indicated that Argentina would not be joining the group and suggested that the country would cease communication with the governments of China and Brazil. However, China highlighted the strong economic complementarity and potential for cooperation between the two countries, expressing a willingness to continue collaborating with Argentina for their mutual benefit.