(G20 Summit) Argentine FM sees China as strategic partner with vision

Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra sees China as a "strategic partner" with a "long-term vision."

She made the remark in an interview published Sunday with Argentina's prestigious daily Clarin.

"China is a new strategic partner. When you establish a connection with new strategic partners, you have to understand them and know how they function," she said, referring to the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries since 2014.

Malcorra spoke highly of China's capacity to make plans and set goals in the long term.

"China has a very long-term vision. They see their partnerships not for what is going to happen in the next five to 10 years, but in 50 years," she said.

She thinks that as a leading agricultural exporter, Argentina can serve as a key partner of China.

"It is clear that food security is central to them, which underlines the importance of Latin America in general, and of Argentina in particular," she noted.

Malcorra acknowledged Argentina has a natural tendency to pursue ties with Europe due to historical reasons, but China's overtures have facilitated bilateral relationship in a way that European countries have not.

"China is much more open, more flexible and more willing," she said, and that its "attitude makes it easier for us to make progress before we make progress with Europe" in developing ties, said Malcorra.

Argentina is expected to host the Group of 20 (G20) major economies summit in 2018, coming after Germany in 2017 and China in 2016.

"Forming part of a troika with Germany and China is very meaningful for us. It allows us to work on global policies," said Malcorra, who expects close consultations with both China and Germany.

"We are beginning to outline the topics for 2018 ... and the fact that China is part of the troika provides us with another channel for communication," she said.

Education may be on top of the agenda Argentina will set for the 2018 G20 summit, she said, due to its absence in the past.

The 2016 G20 summit held on Sept. 4-5 in Hangzhou, east China, concluded with the adoption of a statement outlining the group's direction and development goals, and with the Hangzhou Consensus on facilitating global economic growth by taking comprehensive, open, innovative and inclusive long-term steps.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri has commented the G20 summit in Hangzhou as "impressive and huge."

Argentine experts regard the Argentine hosting of G20 summit as a challenge, citing coordinations at the international and national levels, or seeking to contribute in a substantive and original way to the G20 summit agenda.

In addition, they think that it will serve as an opportunity to build a foreign policy which reflects Argentina's potential.

"It is a fantastic opportunity to continue recovering prestige and strengthen the impact of Argentina's foreign policy," Patricio Carmody, an Argentine international relations expert, has told Argentina's La Nacion daily. Endi