The president of the Republic, Luis Lacalle Pousaid that Uruguay and China closed the feasibility study on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), as reported The Observer. “The conclusion is positive and beneficial,” said the president.
“We want to inform the public that what began in September 2021, the feasibility study in conjunction with China, has concluded. With satisfaction we can say that this conclusion is positive, that we have reached an agreement that is beneficial for both countries. Now yes (to) formally start the negotiation,” said the president.
Lacalle Pou indicated that the FTA with China “will mean opportunity, satisfaction and work,” and that Uruguay will seek to “try to commercialize products, raw materials and technologies.”
The announcement was made during a press conference at the Executive Tower, where the Foreign Minister also participated. Francisco Bustillo and the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Carolina Ache. The Observer had informed this Tuesday that Uruguay and China completed the feasibility study and began the formal negotiation for the FTA.
“We are going to negotiate in favor of Uruguay. We are going to have dialogue with industry, commerce, production,” said the president. “These agreements must be discussed and negotiated between all political forces,” he added. Although he said: “In principle, the feasibility study will not be published”.
“We see it from a purely commercial point of view that does not bring any other obligation than the one signed in an FTA. Sometimes commercial relations are mixed with political relations,” Lacalle Pou replied when asked about the global situation, and China’s position on the war between russia and ukraine. “We are talking about trade,” insisted the president.