Last Friday, Chongqing held an online meeting to promote friendly exchanges and cooperation with Northwest Argentina's La Rioja Province at the Foreign Affairs Office of Chongqing Municipal People's Government.

Representatives from Chongqing Municipality and Argentina's La Rioja Provinces attended the online meeting to exchange views to promote exchanges and cooperation between both sides. (iChongqing/ Deng Yan)

Wang Wen, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of Chongqing Municipal People's Government, made an opening speech, saying that Chongqing is willing to advance exchanges and cooperation in various fields, such as digital economy, culture,  technology, and education.

Juan Luna, director of the General Office of  La Rioja Provincial Government, introduced the basic situation and advantages of La Rioja Province.  

After that, both of them showed the memorandum text on the establishment of friendly exchange relations via video link, which was signed by Chongqing Municipality and La Rioja Province in December 2021.

The signing of a memorandum of understanding for friendly ties is a new landmark for the full range of exchanges between the two sides.

Bright cooperation prospects

This year marks the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and Argentina.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary, Chongqing TV station signed a cooperation contract with La Rioja No 9 TV station, which paves the road for more cultural exchanges.

"Due to the pandemic, the cultural exchange is becoming more and more important. I believe this cooperation between the two sides' TV stations would be a good start", said Gyelmo Messias, director of La Rioja radio and television station.

Chongqing TV station signed a cooperation agreement with La Rioja No 9 TV station online on April 8, 2022. (iChongqing/ Deng Yan)

Noting this year also marks the Year of China-Argentina Friendship and Cooperation, representatives from the two sides shared their suggestions to facilitate educational, cultural, agricultural, and economic exchanges.

Southwest University has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the National University of Cordoba. It has established a branch of the Argentine Research Center under the Spanish National Research Center. In the future, Chongqing hopes to deepen cooperation in Chinese and Spanish learning, personnel exchanges, academic research, and cultural and sports exchanges.

To bolster cooperation in cultural and tourism exchange, "We welcome the Tourism Department of La Rioja Province or relevant institutions to settle in Chongqing, and carry out tourism promotion, commodity exhibition and other activities with our city," said Chen Yanli, representative of the Chongqing Culture and Tourism Development Commission.

In addition, La Rioja Province is the largest olive-producing area in northwest Argentina, with rich and diverse agricultural products. Chongqing municipality and LaRioja Province have strong complementarity in agriculture and broad prospects for agricultural cooperation.

Furthermore, both economic exchanges have progressed well. In 2021, the import and export trade volume between Chongqing and Argentina was 1.65 billion yuan ($258.88 million), with a year-on-year increase of 45.3 percent. Chongqing will increase the import of products from La Rioja Province, especially olive oil, red wine, and mineral products.

Two cities ready to work closely

Richard Clemente, governor of La Rioja Province, is friendly to China and seeks to expand cooperation with Chinese local governments. Chongqing is the only city where La Rioja Province set up an office in China.

It is understood that Sichuan International Studies University has been discussing cooperation with La Rioja National University.

And the partner of Chongqing Chang'an Automobile Co., Ltd in Argentina has decided to establish the final assembly plant in La Rioja province.

Chongqing pharmaceutical companies, such as Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products Co., Ltd, have also reached out to La Rioja Province to seek cooperation.

In June 2021, La Rioja Province participated in the online Western China International Fair with its tourism resources brochures and the First China Hot Spring Industry Expo in Chongqing.

In February 2022, La Rioja No 9 TV station broadcast Chongqing's Spring Festival Gala to its residents.

Friendly exchanges between Chongqing and Argentina

The signing of the MOU for friendly ties is another successful example of Chongqing and Argentina's cooperation.

In 2010, Chongqing and the province of Córdoba in Argentina established sister-city relations.

In 2014, Chongqing signed a memorandum of understanding on friendly exchanges with the province of Santa Fe and the Beibei District of Chongqing City, and Santa Fe City of Argentina and concluded a friendly district-city relationship in November 2014.

Many import and export trading companies in Chongqing have long-term import trade with Argentina's beef production and processing plants.

Chongqing Chang'an Group and other automobile companies have participated in the Argentine market to explore automobile trade cooperation.

During the 2022 Spring Festival, reporters from Chongqing international communication center reached out to Carlitos Lin, host of Argentine National Television in Buenos Aires, presenting a fabulous Chinese New Year Joint Livestream.