The 17 projects requested by Argentina to be financed by China

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – As part of the ratification of Argentina’s integral strategic alliance with China, the Government of Alberto Fernandez has just sent Beijing the list of 17 infrastructure projects proposed to be financed entirely with Chinese capital.

The document entitled “New Integrated Five-Year Plan to be proposed”, to which El Cronista had access, contains the 17 projects that the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs headed by Gustavo Béliz and Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero sent to China.

The idea is to advance in negotiations with Bejing to sign agreements that could eventually be signed by Alberto Fernández and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in February if the Head of State’s visit occurs.

The document with the projects that Argentina prioritized to be financed with yuans from the Chinese State was submitted to the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC), which is the planning body of Xi Jinping’s Government and has great power in the communist scheme of Chinese administration.

It is the project negotiation mechanism that Argentina has with China and is coordinated by the Foreign Ministry and the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs within the Strategic Dialogue for Economic Coordination and Cooperation.

The document sent by Argentina to China includes the following textual projects to be analyzed now by Xi Jinping’s Government:

• Nuclear Power Plant IV
• Southern Kirchner and Cepernic dams
• Gas pipeline system works
• Rehabilitation of the San Martin Line Railway System
• Rehabilitation of the Roca Line Railroad System
• Rehabilitation of the Belgrano Cargas railroad line
• Railway network modernization plan
• Buenos Aires Passengers rolling stock
• Drinking water treatment plants and aqueducts
• Cauchari 4 and 5 photovoltaic park Enlargement
• Bridges: Chaco/Corrientes- Santa Fe/Paraná
• Road corridors and improvements
• Connectivity and fiber optic programs
• Electricity transmission and distribution works
• Argentina Zarate Energy Pole-Power plants
• Housing and habitat programs
• Cerro Arauco wind farm

In the document sent from Buenos Aires to Beijing, item 18 appears under the heading “others to be defined/Chinese proposal”. Some of the works mentioned have already been under negotiation for many years, even since Vice President Cristina Kirchner sealed in 2010 the comprehensive strategic alliance with China as President. However, some proposals lack details in the title.