Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao said Wednesday that rapid economic
development of both in China and Argentina has created a favorable environment
for stronger trade cooperation and the two nations should make joint efforts for
higher bilateral trade volume.
Meeting officials and representatives of Argentina's business sector in
Buenos Aires, President Hu said that trade between China and Argentina has
increased steadily in recent years.
"Last year, trade between the two countries amounted to 3.1 billion US
dollars, a 122 percent increase over the previous year," he said.
" In the first nine months of this year, the bilateral trade volume has
already reached 3.0 billion dollars, 21 percent higher than the same period of
2003," said Hu.
He said that both the governments and business sectors of China and Argentina
should tap potentials for trade and investment cooperation.
"The Chinese government will continue to encourage businessmen in China to
invest more in Argentina, and we also hope that Argentina's businessmen would
have more investment projects in China," Hu said.
"So long as we continue to make joint efforts, economic and trade cooperation
would make new progress," the president said.
Hu arrived here from Brazil Tuesday for a state visit to Argentina, the
second leg of his four-nation Latin-American tour.
He will leave for Santiago Thursday for a state visit and to attend the
Economic Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) being
held there. After the meeting, Hu will visit Cuba.
