The Secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgado, and the Ministers of the Economy, Azucena Arbeleche, and Foreign Relations, Francisco Bustillo, received a delegation from the Government of the People’s Republic of China, this Monday 25 at the Executive Tower. “Work has begun to specify a schedule to advance and celebrate the free trade agreement with China,” Bustillo announced, and maintained that it is possible to conclude it before 2025.
The Asian delegation was made up of the Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cai Wei; the deputy heads of the Division of the Department of Latin America and the Caribbean of that portfolio, Cao Li and He Zhefeng; the second secretary of that dependency, Wang Hao; the ambassador to Uruguay, Wang Gang, the political advisor Xu Yue and the head of the Political Section, Sang Menglian.
Bustillo, in statements to the press, considered the meeting very good and expressed that there is an excellent work team between the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Economy and other sectoral agencies. He revealed that the chief negotiator of the Uruguayan Government, Fernando López Fabregat, had a first contact, this day, with the counterpart of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
“We are going to continue negotiating and we are taking steps in that direction. We hope and predict that at some point the rest of the member countries of Mercosur will join, ”said Bustillo, who stated that there are intentions for Argentina and Paraguay to join and that Brazil definitively promotes the work of Uruguay. “We hope to achieve it during this government period,” express.
The foreign minister recalled that in 1988 the government headed by Julio María Sanguinetti began negotiations and initiated bilateral diplomatic relations with the Asian country and that later the successive administrations advanced in the same direction.
“We are going to continue doing our bit and we hope to finalize the free trade agreement during this government period”insisted Bustillo, who announced that he had received an invitation to visit China and that the President of the Republic could also do so in 2023, as part of the celebration of 35 years of relations between the two countries.
The director general for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cai Wei, pointed out that there is a will to affirm the bilateral relationship.
He also indicated that the completion of the pre-feasibility study of a free trade agreement between the two nations is an example that China is willing to negotiate and sign this type of agreement with those countries that are interested.
The chief mentioned that his government is open to cooperation both with Uruguay and with the other members of the regional bloc, without interfering in its internal affairs.
“We hope that the Mercosur parties can negotiate amicably with each other, in order to create a better environment for free trade cooperation between China and Uruguay,” he concluded.
