As part of the agenda of the Chinese Ambassador to Argentina, Wang Wei, in Santa Fe province, Governor Maximiliano Pullaro led a business networking event in Rosario on Tuesday that brought together 12 Chinese companies and 36 Santa Fe companies from the technology, transport, construction and traditional and renewable energy sectors. The meeting took place in the Walsh Room at the government headquarters in Rosario and was attended by the province's Secretary of Foreign Trade, Georgina Losada.
The activity was part of a broader bilateral agenda that had begun on Monday, when Pullaro received the Chinese diplomat in the context of meetings related to port logistics, rail transport and energy. China is currently Santa Fe's third largest trading partner, behind Brazil and India, while the province is one of the main export platforms for products demanded by that country, such as meat and grains.
Santa Fe as China's main trading partner
Pullaro stated that Santa Fe "is a productive province that seeks to establish deep commercial relations with China" based on "the effort and work of people who started from the bottom and with honesty, so that our products can reach every corner of the world and show that we have the best quality to be the most competitive in the country".
In the same vein, the governor highlighted that the province "is located in a central part of the country, where it is crossed by almost 900 kilometres of the Paraná River and most of Argentina's exports leave through Santa Fe," which is why he assured that "the logistics of roads, ports and airports are being improved so that products from Santa Fe can reach the world."
Pullaro acknowledged that Santa Fe "wants to become China's main trading partner," and therefore stated that his government will continue to "coordinate and support each of the businesspeople so that they can establish stable commercial relationships, which will generate employment and economic growth in the province."
Strengthening productive and financial ties
The Minister of Productive Development, Gustavo Puccini, highlighted that the ambassador "brought 12 top-level companies from different productive sectors, which allowed them to connect with more than 36 companies from Santa Fe." In this context, he pointed out that the meetings held since Monday "served to learn about the intentions of China, a strategic partner for Santa Fe, especially as a destination for imports."
Puccini emphasised that "Santa Fe is a province with a strong productive base" and noted that the provincial government supports "a complementary approach with companies that have ties to China." In this regard, he considered that these opportunities for coordination "allow us to strengthen ties and move forward with concrete lines of action for future work."
Along the same lines, the Secretary of Foreign Trade, Georgina Losada, participated in the networking and institutional exchange rounds, in a coordinated effort aimed at consolidating opportunities for trade, investment and international cooperation for the Santa Fe productive network.
Among the strategic axes, the minister mentioned the expectation of "incorporating Chinese financial banks into the lines of credit that the province has been promoting for two years," aimed at companies with commercial ties to that market, as well as Santa Fe's participation in international import fairs, "key to the provincial objective of expanding and diversifying its external purchases."
Logistics, infrastructure and strategic planning
The meeting also addressed issues related to logistics and infrastructure. Puccini indicated that there is interest in Chinese companies learning about "investment opportunities in port and railway infrastructure, sectors where capital is needed to improve logistics competitiveness." In this context, the ambassador's agenda includes visits to the Puerto Rosario Terminal and the Villa Constitución Free Trade Zone.
Finally, the minister said that the visit "opens up new possibilities for cooperation in science, technology and culture," and defined China as "a strategic market with which Santa Fe must continue to deepen ties in a long-term agenda."
