In a bilateral meeting, escorted by General Martín Paleo, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Francisco Cafiero, Secretary of International Affairs, Argentine Defense Minister Jorge Taiana held a virtual meeting with China to discuss the international relationship in military cooperation.
In the instance, they agreed to give greater rhythm to mutual visits between authorities in the area, to the professional exchange in the field of military instruction, to the training of personnel, to Peacekeeping Operations, and to Science and Technology.
Taiana, who thanked the help provided by China during the Covid-19 emergency, assured that the strategic relationship between the two countries “may have greater volume in different aspects” and that it will also “take a leap” in defense.
“February 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of diplomatic relations between the two countries and in that framework, I am convinced that the bilateral relationship between the People’s Republic of China and Argentina will make a leap in cooperation between both countries and also in the area of defense. The comprehensive strategic relationship may have greater volume in different aspects,” said the Secretary of State at the end of the meeting by videoconference.
There was also talk of strengthening the educational link through exchange and cooperation in the field of strategic studies between the Argentine Defense Universities (UNDEF) and Chinese universities.
The Argentine delegation consisted of the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Major General Juan Martín Paleo; the Secretary of International Affairs for Defense, Francisco Cafiero; the recently appointed Chief of Staff of Advisers of the Ministry of Defence, Héctor Mazzei; the Undersecretary of Operational Planning and Logistics Service, Lucía del Carmen Kersul; the Undersecretary of International Affairs, Dr. Roberto De Luise and the Argentine Ambassador in Beijing, Sabino Vaca Narvaja; among other special guests.
The delegation of the People’s Republic of China consisted of: Brigadier General Ci Guo Wei, Head of the Office of International Affairs of the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Huang Xue Ping, Deputy Chief of the Office of International Affairs of the Ministry of Defense, Senior Colonel Lu Zhong Ling, the Head of the Bureau of American and Oceanian Affairs and Senior Colonel Liu Chang, China Defense Attaché in Argentina.
It is worth mentioning that, according to local media, China would intend to sell to the Argentine Air Force a Thunder JF-17 Block III fighter, manufactured by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation and the multi-wheel armored vehicle (8×8), which would be destined for the Army.
The issue is that, according to these publications, the purchase could deal a blow to the Argentine Aircraft Factory (FAdeA) and all SMEs in the aerospace sector. They point out that Taiana himself had maintained on the 80th anniversary of Military Fabrications the need to “consolidate the technological industrial network of Argentine industry.”
Sources in the trans-Andean government ministry did not confirm that the matter was discussed at the meeting, but confirmed that it is not determined from whom they will buy the planes.
