Commentary: China/Argentina/US

Shotlist

Beijing, China – April 18, 2023 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
1. Screenshot of The Real Point commentary

FILE: Buenos Aires, Argentina – Nov 28, 2018 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
2. National flag of Argentina

FILE: Buenos Aires, Argentina – Date Unknown (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
3. Casa Rosada (office of Argentine President), national flag of Argentina

FILE: Buenos Aires, Argentina – Jan 10, 2023 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
4. National flag of Argentina

FILE: Argentina – 2022 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
5. Various of cityscape, traffic

Beijing, China – April 18, 2023 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
6. Quotes from commentary

FILE: Argentina – Date Unknown (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
7. Various of hydroelectric power plant jointly built with China

FILE: Province of Salta, Argentina – Date Unknown (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
8. Various of workers, machines in operation on China-invested railway project

FILE: Santa Cruz, Argentina – Date Unknown (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
9. Various of hydroelectric power plant in construction
10. Santa Cruz River

Beijing, China – April 18, 2023 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
11. Quotes from commentary

FILE: Washington D.C., USA – Date Unknown (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
12. Various of Capitol Hill, U.S. national flag

Beijing, China – April 18, 2023 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
13. Quotes from commentary

FILE: Washington D.C., USA – Date Unknown (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
14. Various of White House

FILE: Washington D.C., USA – Dec 22, 2018 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
15. Capitol Hill

Beijing, China – April 18, 2023 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
16. Quotes from commentary

Buenos Aires, Argentina – Jan 24, 2023 (CCTV – No access Chinese mainland)
17. Poster of 7th Summit of Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)
18. Attending officials taking group photo

FILE: Buenos Aires, Argentina – Aug 2022 (CGTN – No access Chinese mainland)
19. Various of pedestrians

Storyline

The United States is unwilling to see the enhanced ties between China and Latin American countries, and even across the world, as it views the relations as a challenger to its interests and hegemony, said a China Media Group (CMG) commentary released on Tuesday.

An edited English translation of the commentary is as follows:

“Visiting head of U.S. Southern Command Laura Richardson held talks with Argentine officials, but talked about China’s influence in Latin America.” This is how Argentine media commented on the U.S.-Argentina talks held on Monday. During her visit to Buenos Aires earlier this month, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told Argentina to be “cautious” in developing relations with China.

Apart from Richardson and Sherman, other U.S. officials had also been engaged in merry-go-round visits to Argentina recently. At the beginning of this month, U.S. Republican Senator John Cornyn led a delegation to Argentina and expressed “concerns” about cooperation projects between Argentina and China. Later, Christopher Hanson, chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission visited the Latin American country, claiming that there are risks and “inconvenience” in the cooperation between Argentina and China in the field of nuclear energy. Then came Richardson and Sherman who talked about nothing but China during their visits.

“The United States is trying to dilute the relationship between China and Argentina,” Argentine newspaper Pagina 12 commented on the purpose of the frequent visits by high-ranking U.S. officials. Some media reports said that the United States seems to be keeping an eye on China’s cooperation in Latin America, especially with Argentina. All the normal cooperation between China and Argentina, be it 5G, deep space station in Neuquen or nuclear power projects, has made the U.S. feel like a thorn in the back.

What are the reasons behind these visits? According to the analysis of the Argentine media, after taking office, U.S. President Joe Biden has reinforced his predecessor’s policy to repress and contain China, as he is unwilling to see China develop cooperation in Latin America or across the world. Argentina is a major country in Latin America. The friendly cooperation between China and Argentina has continued to enhance in recent years.

In February 2022, Argentina became the first among major Latin American countries to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. This marks the pragmatic cooperation featuring mutual trust and mutual benefit between developing countries. But from the U.S. point of view, China-Argentina cooperation has challenged its interests and threatened its hegemony, so it uses all means to obstruct and sabotage the relationship.

Take the nuclear program for example. In April 2022, Ann K. Ganzer, the principal deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation at the Department of State of the U.S., led a delegation to Argentina, where she pointed fingers at the technology provided by China for the Atucha III nuclear power plant project, saying it did not meet international norms and had design defects and safety problems, but a report, published by Nucleoelectrica, the state-owned nuclear operator of Argentina, said the U.S. accusations “lack scientific basis.”

According to Argentine media, one reason that the United States has not taken the knife off Argentina’s neck is that the Monroe Doctrine is still haunting. After the Monroe Doctrine was issued in 1823, the United States has forced Latin America to be its own backyard, allowing none of them to make interactions with the rest of the world independently. In November 2013, then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told the Organization of American States that the “era of the Monroe Doctrine is over.” But nearly a decade later, facts have shown that the United States is still attempting to control Latin America and keep it as the source of “raw materials,” a “dumping market” and a “cultural colony.”

Things are different now. Latin American countries have long been yearning for unity, cooperation and development, and their call for independence is growing stronger. In June 2022, the Ninth Summit of the Americas hosted by the United States was widely boycotted by Latin American countries and was the least attended by leaders. In January this year, The seventh Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States issued the “Buenos Aires Declaration,” reaching consensus on firmly opposing external interference and hegemonism. Antonio Rengifo, a professor of international law at the National University of Colombia, believes that there is no room for the Monroe Doctrine.

In the late 19th century, former Mexican President Porfirio Diaz once said, “Poor Mexico, So Far From God, So Close to the United States.” What is happening in Latin America today echoes with the view of Argentine media that at a time when emerging markets are striving to develop, Latin America is able to change its history and fate of “being so close to the United States.”