The chairman of the National People’s Congress of China, Zhao Leji, said his country would support Argentina’s entry into the BRICS —made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—, which will enable the country to receive financial aid, said sources within the Argentine delegation to China. 

Leji’s statement came in a meeting in Beijing with national Frente de Todos (FdT) deputy and head of the Buenos Aires PJ, Máximo Kirchner, and the head of the Chamber of Deputies, Cecilia Moreau.

The president of the BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB) Dilma Rousseff met recently in China with Economy Minister Sergio Massa, and informed him that the bank’s board of directors formally enabled a vote on Argentina’s admission into the institution for the next meeting.

The decision is relevant for Argentina, mostly because joining the bank as a member opens up the possibility of obtaining financial aid.  

During the meeting, the president of the Chinese People’s Assembly also conveyed to Kirchner and Moreau his greetings to Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who welcomed him when she was president during his official visit to Argentina in May 2015.

Other participants of the meeting included legislators Tania Bertoldi (Neuquén) and Paula Penacca (Ciudad de Buenos Aires), deputy Diego Sartori (Misiones) and the administrative secretary of the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Rodríguez. Also present were Camilo Vaca Narvaja, head of the Office of the Presidency and officials from the Argentine embassy in the country. 

-Télam