BUENOS AIRES – The Argentine government dismissed media reports on Thursday that President Javier Milei would soon travel to China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, clarifying that while such a trip is possible, it has not been confirmed.
Local media, including the newspaper Clarin, had reported that the trip was scheduled for the coming weeks. However, government spokesman Manuel Adorni refuted these claims, stating, “Not only is there no date, there is nothing, absolutely nothing confirmed.” He added that neither China nor Argentina had requested a bilateral meeting. “That does not mean that it will not happen, but the information is not confirmed.”
Speculation about a trip to China, Argentina’s second-largest trade partner, emerged a day after Argentina’s central bank announced the renewal of the activated portion of a major currency swap line with China, equivalent to $5 billion, through July 2026. Without this extension, Argentina faced the prospect of repaying billions of dollars on the swap this month and next, which would have been a significant challenge for Milei given the country’s depleted reserves.
Milei, a libertarian economist, had previously criticized communist-run China during his campaign last year but has adopted a more diplomatic stance since taking office in December. The potential trip to China underscores the strategic importance of maintaining strong economic ties with Beijing, especially in light of Argentina’s ongoing financial challenges.