Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei came to office in late 2023 slamming China as a communist “assassin” and threatening to weaken ties with the Asian nation. Instead, exports to China including soy and lithium jumped 15% in his first year.
The pragmatic U-turn by a natural US ally underscores a challenge for President Donald Trump in resource-rich South America, where booming commerce in recent years has boosted China’s influence.
Trump is looking to shake up global trade and get partners to promote US interests using threats and trade tariffs. He has already pushed for concessions from Colombia, Panama and Mexico, while Brazil is in the crosshairs of new trade tariffs on steel.
Around South America, half a dozen officials, diplomats and trade experts said that China’s huge and growing trade…
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Daily News (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2025-03-04