An aerial view of Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Photo: VCG

Argentine Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja told the Global Times that he has attentively, and with great interest, been following  the developments from the historic 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) . 

"During these intense days of work and deliberation, the main agenda and plans for the coming years have been discussed. The re-election of Xi Jinping as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee is extremely relevant and important for Argentina and Latin American countries because he is the Chinese president who knows the region deeply and the one who has traveled the most to Latin America and the Caribbean," Narvaja said.

"This re-election demonstrates President Xi's great leadership in the Party, which is underpinned by an unprecedented popular legitimacy. The changes promoted by President Xi have been key to achieving China's scientific and technological progress and contributed to China's current development and prosperity. He is also dedicated to addressing imbalances and problems generated by China's rapid development, with the flagship rural vitalization programs. In this congress, a consensus was reached to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization," Narvaja said. 

According to the ambassador, in recent years, a wide range of cooperation has been conducted between China and Argentina as well as between China and other regional organizations such as the CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States). 

"President Xi has played a central role in the process of strengthening the voices of developing countries and consolidating multilateralism at the global level. It is essential to strengthening the role of the CELAC, BRICS, and the South-South cooperation model as key actors to promote a joint path toward harmonious development in the world," he said. 

The ambassador noted that today China represents the main trade partner and an important investor in infrastructure for most Latin American countries. "The countries of our region have highly complementary economies with China and share a sustainable global development vision."

Argentine Ambassador to China Sabino Vaca Narvaja.Photo: Courtesy of Narvaja

Implication to the world

Narvaja said that he believed the congress has implications for the entire planet since China today represents one of the most dynamic countries in the world and has established itself internationally as a relevant and responsible actor. 

"President Xi's speech at the 20th CPC National Congress was a hopeful message in a world beset by many complexities and challenges. Under the leadership of President Xi, the imbalances generated by unprecedented growth were reduced and the Party is moving ahead on a path to seeking harmonious development that generates well-being for the entire Chinese population," he told the Global Times.

"At the international level, President Xi has stood out for promoting, in the spirit of multilateralism and the democratization of international relations, the role of developing countries."

Leaders of political parties, governments, and heads of state worldwide have sent congratulatory messages to Xi on his election as general secretary of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC.

Under Xi's leadership, China has made remarkable achievements in the areas including poverty eradication, scientific and technological innovation and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has greatly improved the living standards of the Chinese people and set an example for countries around the world, said President of the Justicialist Party of Argentina and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez.

Ambassador Narvaja not only listened to President Xi's speech, but also attentively studied it. He listed many highlights from the speech to the Global Times, including the CPC's mission to lead Chinese people to "build a moderately prosperous society in all respects."

He also noted that China's five-year plan is of enormous significance to the countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region, since it allows them to know the roadmap of one of their main business partners. 

"I also consider the proposal to improve communication systems to increase the dissemination and knowledge of Chinese culture and the promotion of cultural industries to be very relevant. This is a correct way to improve the knowledge of Chinese history and thus promote a greater understanding of its particularities. Mutual learning between our peoples and our diversities is, without a doubt, the best way to further strengthen bilateral ties," he said.  

Narvaja stressed that the CPC enjoyed widespread popularity because it works "for the benefit of the people" and the policies implemented by the Chinese government help solve the major problems in society.

One of the elements that seemed to me to be a priority for this new era of socialist modernization is the one related to China's rural revitalization, he added.

"President Xi, throughout his tenure, has been able to build his leadership based on understanding the needs and interests of the people and has adopted political decisions in accordance with the challenges of each moment," he said.

People visit the Argentine products exhibition area at the 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing on September 1, 2022. Photo: VCG

Best expectations for future

Narvaja said he has high expectations for future ties between China and Argentina. 

"Our bilateral relations are going through one of their best times and this year is also the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between Argentina and China. We have made progress in numerous comprehensive cooperation initiatives on investments, infrastructure, commerce, culture, education, science, and sports, among many other aspects," he said, adding that bilateral relations have deepened over the last decade. 

In February, China and Argentina signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). 

The two sides laid down a framework for sustainable development and inclusive economic cooperation, so as to further promote actions and projects for deepening, innovating, and diversifying their economic relations and enhancing regional connectivity, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

According to the Argentine diplomat, the CPC has a historical relationship with the Justicialist Party of Argentina and shares the same principles of putting the welfare of the people at the center of its objectives. 

During the interview, Narvaja noted to the Global Times that the diplomacy that China practices, with Chinese characteristics, focuses on certain premises such as peace, cooperation, development, and win-win policies. 

"The idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind has been working as a guide for specific cooperation initiatives such as the BRI, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative. These initiatives today can be considered as the central architecture for the construction of a more harmonious and fair international order," he said.