China, Argentina deepening ties beyond mining

In detail, official communiqués from both countries report on a meeting between Xi and President Alberto Fernández in Beijing in which the former agreed to provide Argentina with more than $23.7 billion in financing, of which $14 billion were already approved for infrastructure projects and the rest will be decided for the Belt and Road initiative.

Xi also told Fernández that both countries should implement existing hydropower and railway projects and deepen cooperation in trade, industry, infrastructure, nuclear energy, investment and anti-epidemic efforts.

The idea of promoting green and sustainable development projects, as well as in initiatives related to the digital economy, was also mentioned in the agreement signed between Beijing and Buenos Aires.

Argentina sits within South America’s so-called “lithium triangle” along with Chile and Bolivia. It is the world’s fourth-largest producer of the battery metal and the ninth-largest producer of silver. It also hosts uranium reserves estimated at 30,000 tonnes of proven resources.