From the neighboring country they opened the door to a conversation with the Asian giant for an FTA, as proposed by President Luis Lacalle Pou.
The possible FTA between China and Mercosur was suggested by President Luis Lacalle Pou after his meeting with Xi Jinping.
Photo: Chancellery
The possibility of a meeting between the Mercosur and China, promoted by the president Luis Lacalle Pou After his trip to the Asian giant, he generates “good prospects” in the government of Argentina, as indicated by the Secretary of International Economic Relations of the Chancellery from that country, Cecilia Todesca Bocco.
In an interview with the Télam agency, Todesca Bocco admitted that the eventual meeting was proposed by the Uruguayan foreign minister, Omar Paganini, who earlier demanded “greater agility, flexibility and execution” from the regional bloc, within the framework of a new summit, which is taking place in Brazil.
The Argentine leader referred to the eventual summit with China and expressed: “We are willing to talk with all countries, the same as with any country in the European Union (EU)”. In turn, he anticipated that “there may be good prospects”, although, among the difficulties, he recalled that “the EU is subject to environmental regulations and China to phytosanitary regulations.”
However, he described the Asian giant, the second largest trading partner Argentina, as a “very important” country, with a middle class of 400 million inhabitants and which is going to double in the coming years. In any case, he insisted that “in all cases we seek balance, selling and getting them to sell.”
The tough negotiations for the Mercosur-EU Agreement
Besides, Todesca Bocco indicated that the FTA (FTA) between the Mercosur and the EU “it is not closed and it is being negotiated,” explaining that “Argentina was not there to sign”, arguing that he received the text “from the previous administration”, alluding to the government of Mauricio Macri, and considered that “it has its problems.”
“When we arrived we started to work in parallel with that text and that spaces for industrial and scientific policy be adopted for those things raised, that export rights be dealt with. And we asked for a different treatment to the issue of electromobility, because we have critical minerals We trade a lot of cars between us. We also asked that a proposal on cooperation be included, especially for small and medium-sized businesses,” said the leader of the outgoing Argentine government.
Agreements and negotiations with other actors
Besides, Todesca Bocco highlighted the signing of the FTA with Singapore. “Although it is a small market for Asia It is quite important, because it is the first treaty since 2011,” he highlighted and specified that “there is to trade services, food, as well as investments for Singapore’s landing in the Mercosur, where national interests can be defended at the same time”.
Finally, regarding the dialogue with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), made up of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, He acknowledged that “it was mentioned” during the day. “Swiss made a proposal about wines. We are up to date with the EFTA and the rest of the countries of the Mercosur It lacks some technical issues to continue with the negotiation,” he pointed out.
Source: Ambito
