To address a faltering economy, Argentina chose a leader who has vowed to cut the state’s role drastically. However, international trade and investment demands substantial government involvement, and Buenos Aires can ill afford to jeopardise relations with a top trading partner like China.
While Sergio Massa won the first round of Argentina’s presidential election, the chance of far-right Javier Milei winning a run-off has dark implications. Milei has advocated a variety of radical positions, including severing ties with China, that threaten to upend Argentina’s economy and diplomacy.