Wang Wei, Chinese ambassador to Argentina: “I see it very likely that a Chinese automaker will settle in Córdoba”

The Chinese ambassador to Argentina, Wang Wei, during his visit to Córdoba, where he carries out a series of activities to celebrate the China Dayhad a talk with ReporteAsia. We were able to learn their opinion on the different collaboration scenarios that could be consolidated in the future between the Asian giant and the Mediterranean province. He also expressed China’s interest in signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Mercosur.

This is the first time he visited Córdoba, where, as he indicated, he found “many pleasant surprises: I was able to learn up close about the history of Córdoba, its economic prosperity and its development potential. I attest that the cooperation between China and Córdoba will have even broader horizons.”

Among his official activities, he met with Governor Martín Llaryora and his cabinet, and participated in a business round in which nine Chinese companies and dozens of Córdoba companies participated, in an event organized by ProCórdoba, with collaboration of the Argentine Chinese Chamber .

“I feel firsthand the passion, the will, the conviction that the Córdoba business community has to carry out collaboration with China, in addition to the Córdoba government from its institutions, which have planned proposals to consolidate cooperation with China; “We are already in action,” said the official.

Considering the efforts and reforms that the country chaired by Xi Jinping is promoting towards 2029, when the 80th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China will be celebrated, Ambassador Wang Wei considers it very likely that the interaction with Córdoba will deepen in these years. , taking into account that the Asian giant has a population that has achieved greater purchasing power and that consumes products and services from all over the world.

“In addition to trade, we hope to do more than exchanges for agro-industrial products, go beyond cooperation in conventional fields, with more content of scientific and technological development, and innovation, in sectors such as new energies, digital economy, big data, intelligence artificial, in addition to the cultural and educational,” remarked Wang Wei.

He also included football as one of the most fruitful cooperation scenarios, based on experiences such as that of the Talleres Clubwhich has a training program focused on Chinese clubs and players.

Attentive to the fires in the mountain areas that have been occurring in Córdoba in recent weeks, the ambassador also emphasized the cooperation that may occur in this area with China: “our strategy on the issue of forest fires rather prioritizes prevention through the application of drones, to monitor the development of fires and extinguish them at the beginning of their occurrence, avoiding their development and the consequences they generate.”

Likewise, observing the installed capacity that Córdoba has in the automotive sector, where cars from brands such as Renault, Nissan or Fiat are assembled, the ambassador considered it very likely that a Chinese automaker would set up shop in Córdoba: “because Chinese car brands already They are present in South America and Mercosur, and on Argentine routes there is an increasing presence of Chinese cars. Regarding new energy cars, China is a major supplier worldwide. Speaking of electric vehicles, a third of the total are made in China, globally,” said Wang Wei.

“Chinese electric vehicle companies will actively consider setting up factories here in Argentina. In fact, they are already present in Brazil, having their production and assembly line, and why not soon they could be installed in Córdoba, as long as there are preferential policies on the part of the Córdoba authorities to attract the companies concerned.”

Before ending the talk, Ambassador Wang Wei referred to global trade, providing valuable information for the analysis of the economies of our region: “We hope to be able to begin negotiations between China and Mercosur for a Free Trade Agreement as soon as possible. We are opening our market. Our idea is to promote an open global market, following the policies of the WTO, which would facilitate and encourage a fluid exchange of goods that is good for international trade.”

Co-founder of ReporteAsia.