Photo: Casa Rosada Presidencia.
The Chinese Embassy in Buenos Aires sharply criticized Peter Lamelas, the U.S. ambassador-designate for Argentina nominated by Donald Trump, after he described China as a “malign influence” during his Senate confirmation hearing. Lamelas pledged to support President Javier Milei and to counter what he sees as Chinese corruption and influence in Argentine provinces.
In an official statement, China accused Lamelas’s remarks of reflecting ideological prejudice and a zero-sum worldview characteristic of the Cold War era. The embassy warned that such rhetoric could turn Argentina into a “battlefield” for strategic power competition and contradicts the democratic values the U.S. claims to uphold.
Argentina’s presidential spokesman, Manuel Adorni, emphasized that Lamelas is not yet in office and that his statements represent personal views. He reaffirmed Argentina's commitment to provincial autonomy and non-interference in domestic affairs.
Political backlash followed swiftly: provincial governors publicly rejected Lamelas's statements, lawmakers proposed legislation condemning his remarks, and unions organized protests outside the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires.
The controversy emerges amid Argentina's fragile geopolitical balance. While aligning closer to the U.S. under Milei, the country also maintains significant economic engagement with China, including a currency swap agreement totaling USD 5 billion. China remains a key commercial partner despite the growing tensions.
* Original text in Spanish. Translated by Large Language Model (LLM) technology.
Main Source:
China le respondió al embajador que designó Donald Trump para la Argentina – La Nación
Related News:
Argentina Allows Chinese Tourists and Business Travelers with U.S. Visas
China Rejects 300,000 Tons of Soybeans from Argentina Over Suspected U.S. Origin
The People’s Republic of China sent a trade mission to Argentina
