Argentine President Alberto Fernandez visits Chairman Mao Memorial Hall on February 5, 2022. Photo: Official website of the Casa Rosada

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez laid a wreath at the mausoleum of the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square on Saturday, the Casa Rosada, or the office of the President of Argentina, confirmed in its latest statement. 

Chinese experts on Monday said the two countries that are 20,000 kilometers apart have a deep historical friendship and a similar people-centered governing philosophy in a changing world.

As part of Fernandez's schedule on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, the visit to the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall came on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the founding of China-Argentina diplomatic ties, which falls on February 19.   

In a previous interview with the Global Times, Argentina Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja outlined reasons of arranging the visit to the memorial hall of Mao, a remarkable leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

"For both Argentina and the rest of the world, Mao is a very crucial state leader," said the ambassador, noting that President Fernandez is also president of Argentina's Partido Justicialista Party, which has "very important historical ties" with the CPC.

He said former Argentine president Juan Peron even maintained friendship and correspondence with Chairman Mao.   

The friendship deepened during Fernandez's tour to Beijing. Fernandez met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday. In a major step, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

The two sides agreed to enhance trade cooperation, and promote financial support for the settlement of China's exports to Argentina. They also signed cooperation documents in the fields of green development, digital economy, aerospace, science and technology innovation, education and university cooperation. 

Fernandez's visit to the hall reminded the world that besides pragmatic cooperation, the historical ties and friendship between China and Argentina's ruling parties are also at a strategic significance, Zhou Zhiwei, an expert on Latin American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday. 

Fernandez also visited the Museum of the CPC during his Beijing tour, speaking highly of the CPC "for all it has done and the great achievements it has made for the Chinese people."

The Partido Justicialista and the CPC share many ideas in their leadership, said Zhou. "Argentina is highly supportive of the CPC's people-centered governance philosophy, and the similarities have a historical tradition," Zhou said.   

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez visits Chairman Mao Memorial Hall on February 5, 2022. Photo:official website of the Casa Rosada

Analysts said the historical friendship will help both sides better cope with the challenges of the new era.

On the Malvinas Islands and negotiations with the IMF, Argentina is faced with a problem of how to defend sovereignty and development autonomy more effectively. Fernandez's visit to China and his recognition of the CPC's governing philosophy may have more profound connotations on the above issues, Zhou said. 

During Fernandez's meeting with Xi, China and Argentina reaffirmed their continued strong mutual support on issues involving each other's sovereign interests. Argentina said it will continue to adhere to the one-China principle on the Taiwan question and China will continue to support Argentina's demand for the full exercise of sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands.