The Chinese Embassy responds to comments made by Bessent during his visit to Argentina. China’s Embassy in Argentina has issued a statement condemning US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, alleging that he has made “malicious slanders and libellous remarks.” In a recent statement from Beijing’s envoy in Buenos Aires, the Chinese government expressed strong dissatisfaction and a firm rejection of the derogatory comments and defamatory statements made by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, during his visit to Argentina. In a recent statement, China has countered a number of assertions made by Bessent during an interview with Bloomberg, which took place in Buenos Aires on Monday. The Chinese government criticized Bessent for escalating tensions amid an ongoing global trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
In a recent statement, Bessent indicated that should Milei’s administration persist with its economic reforms, Argentina is likely to secure sufficient foreign exchange inflows to address the active US$5 billion segment of its swap agreement with Beijing.Bessent indicated that Argentina ought to settle its currency swap with Beijing as a measure to safeguard its financial stability. Bessent emphasized during the interview, “Our goal is to prevent a situation similar to what has occurred on the African continent.” “China has entered into several agreements labeled as aid, which have resulted in the acquisition of mineral rights and significant increases in debt for the balance sheets of these nations.”
In a strategic move, China’s Embassy released a comprehensive statement addressing and contesting the views expressed by the Treasury Secretary. The assertion regarding predatory agreements and the purported significant debt accumulated by the People’s Republic of China has been categorically denied as untrue. The communiqué stated, “It is a fact that certain individuals with ulterior motives are trying to create discord in Sino-Argentine and Sino-African relations.” “We would like to remind these individuals that China is committed to supporting developing countries in their development journey, including those in Latin America and Africa, without imposing any political conditions,” the statement continued.
The report indicated that the United States ought to “refrain from deliberately obstructing or sabotaging the assistance provided by other countries to developing nations and the Global South.” “It should not compromise the wellbeing of the populations in these nations to advance its own geopolitical interests in the pursuit of maintaining its dominance,” it stated. In a statement regarding its ongoing agreements with Argentina, Beijing emphasized that its relationship with the nation is founded on principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit. “Over time, the cooperation between China and Argentina through the currency swap has significantly contributed to Argentina’s economic and financial stability, a development that has been positively acknowledged and greatly appreciated by the Argentine government.” “Furthermore, it is important to note that the renewal of the swap has significantly contributed to obtaining crucial funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” the statement added.
China’s collaboration with Latin American nations, particularly Argentina, exemplifies a model of South-South cooperation grounded in the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and shared gains. The initiative does not seek to create a sphere of influence or engage with third parties. The statement emphasized the need for the United States to shift its perspective, urging a detoxification of its mindset. “The report suggests that rather than continuously investing resources in discrediting and criticizing China, blaming regional countries for their collaborations, or trying to enforce a modern interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, a more effective approach would be to focus on making substantial contributions to the development of nations within the region,” it concluded.