On May 22, a reception was hosted by the Consulate General of Argentina in Guangzhou in celebration of the country's National Day, which also marks the 215th Anniversary of the May Revolution. The occasion was attended by representatives from both Argentina and China, along with multiple consular delegates in Guangzhou.
The event began with cultural highlights from Argentina, including "Zamba" and "Malambo" performances, two iconic local folk dances, as well as a graceful instrumental ensemble blending bandoneón and piano.
Performers gave a "Zamba" performance, a local folk dance from Argentina (Photo: Consulate General of Argentina in Guangzhou)
Since María Arrieta was appointed as the Consul General of Argentina in Guangzhou in January 2024, she expressed in her speech that the warm hospitality she has felt in Guangdong Province has strengthened her commitment to fostering ties between Argentina and China, serving as a bridge of understanding and cooperation, especially with the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan, and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
María Arrieta, the Consul General of Argentina in Guangzhou, gives a speech. (Photo: Consulate General of Argentina in Guangzhou)
"In this spirit of collaboration, I must mention Argentina's recent economic reforms, which aim to stabilize the macro-economy, deregulate and liberalize markets, and create an attractive regulatory framework for foreign investment," she said.
Key measures introduced have proven highly effective, including significant reductions in public spending, maintaining a fiscal surplus, sharply lowering inflation, removing export and import barriers, regaining access to international credit, implementing a new investment incentive regime (RlGI), reducing or eliminating taxes, and recently lifting capital controls.
"These improvements create fertile ground for expanding our strategic partnership with China," she said. "As China is Argentina's second-largest trading partner and a leading investor in infrastructure, this new framework offers local counterparts unprecedented opportunities in key sectors like energy, mining, and technology."
Such reciprocal relations were echoed in a later speech by Mr. Zhang Jiaji, Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
"Over half a century since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Argentina have adhered to the principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit," he reflected. "China's policy toward Argentina has always been oriented toward the entire Argentine people, and our cooperation has brought tangible benefits to all."
National flags of Argentina and China at the venue (Photo: Consulate General of Argentina in Guangzhou)
As 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Argentina Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, he noted that the import-export trade volume between Guangdong and Argentina reached 17.2 billion RMB, accounting for one-sixth of the total bilateral trade.
Zhang also underscored the strong exchanges between Guangdong and Argentina over the years, expressing hope for more active engagements in the future. "Our sister-city ties with Mendoza Province, prospective sister-city relations with La Rioja Province, and Guangzhou's partnership with Buenos Aires have yielded fruitful exchanges in trade, culture, agriculture, education, and energy," he added.
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
