Economy minister seeks China’s help to survive — MercoPress

Argentina races against time: Economy minister seeks China’s help to survive

Economy Minister Massa and Deputy Minister Máximo Kirchner travel in an ARG-01 aircraft

Argentina’s Economy Minister Sergio Massa is due to visit China on Tuesday in a desperate effort to secure much-needed dollars for the government’s survival and boost its chances in the upcoming presidential election. With President Alberto Fernandez, who recently announced he did not want re-election, on the backburner, Massa spearheaded this important task.

Massa will depart on Sunday in the new presidential plane ARG-01, accompanied by Vice President Maximo Kirchner and a delegation of prominent businessmen. Their main purpose is to attend a meeting in Shanghai of New Development Bank, a financial institution headed by former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff.

After the engagement in Shanghai, Massa and his aides plan to continue talks in Beijing. The Argentine government is looking to expand negotiations on a currency swap agreement it previously signed with the Chinese government. Such measures would strengthen the central bank’s foreign exchange reserves, which recently fell below the key benchmark of US$32 billion due to repayments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

These repayments exceed spending by global financial institutions. In particular, Argentina has to pay over US$2,682 million in debt to the IMF by June 21-22.

Part of this debt will be financed by leveraging the IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) acquired in March, while the rest will have to be raised from reserves at the Bank of the Republic of Argentina (BCRA) or borrowed from alternative lenders. be. Even if Argentina manages to meet initial debt maturities successfully, with subsequent repayments expected throughout the second half of the year, the relief given to the country’s foreign exchange reserves will not last long. Argentina faces a series of maturities over the next few months leading up to the end of the year and facing persistent challenges to economic stability.

The significance of Massa’s visit to China cannot be overemphasized, as it is a vital lifeline for Argentina’s sluggish economy. By seeking to expand its currency swap agreement with China, the Argentine government hopes to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and secure additional funds to relieve mounting pressure from impending debt repayments. The outcome of Massa’s negotiations in China could have far-reaching implications for the country’s economic future and political climate, especially as the presidential election approaches.