Face to face with Milei, Trump no longer cared about dignity and directly stated America's requirements. Doing business with China is acceptable, but there is one thing that must absolutely not be done. On the surface, it seems "generous," but in reality, it's a sign of desperation.

Trump and Milei

Recently, Argentine President Milei visited the White House and held a meeting with Trump. However, behind their "close hug" lay more calculations. When facing Milei, Trump's warning was like a sharp thorn, piercing through the surface of the "ideological alliance" between the US and Argentina, revealing the conflict and mutual exploitation of interests between the two countries.

Trump warned Milei that Argentina could conduct some trade with China, but it should not go beyond this limit. If Argentina took any military actions with China, he would be "very unhappy." On the surface, this statement sounds very polite, but after understanding the background, it becomes clear that this is an explicit warning from the United States.

As is well known, China has stopped purchasing American soybeans for several months, leading to a surge in inventory in the Midwest grain warehouses, causing storage shortages, and the price of soybeans has been continuously declining. American soybean farmers have expressed strong dissatisfaction, and Trump, who tried to soothe them with subsidy policies, has been unable to implement these measures due to the confrontation between the two parties and the government shutdown.

Argentine soybeans

In general, if the soybean issue is not resolved soon, it will become even more problematic. While China has stopped buying American soybeans, it has increased its purchases of soybeans from South American countries such as Brazil and Argentina. Milei quickly seized this opportunity and announced the cancellation of export taxes on soybeans, corn, wheat, and their by-products. Within just a few days, Argentina's agricultural exports surged dramatically.

The Chinese enthusiasm for purchasing agricultural products from South America has finally given the Milei government a glimpse of relief from inflation. However, this move has also caused dissatisfaction in the United States. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture complained to Treasury Secretary Bassett, stating that the United States is doing its best to help Argentina alleviate its economic difficulties, but Argentina turned around and cut into the U.S. business in China.

US Treasury Secretary received a complaint text message

Under this context, when Trump mentioned the business relations between China and Argentina, it seemed "broad-minded," but in reality, it was also a subtle warning to Milei, reminding him to consider the situation of American allies while reaping benefits. If economic cooperation is a "negotiable deal," then military cooperation is a "red line" that Trump cannot tolerate.

Although there are currently no military cooperation projects between China and Argentina, Trump is still anxious. A more realistic reason is that the U.S. military influence in Latin America is gradually declining. According to Trump's logic, Argentina can earn money from China, which is allowed by the U.S., but if Milei dares to cross the red line, the U.S. can certainly apply pressure through IMF loans, trade sanctions, and other means.

Milei

This point was clearly stated in Trump's subsequent speech. The $20 billion currency swap between the U.S. and Argentina will only be implemented after Milei wins the midterm elections. Obviously, Trump, under the guise of "economic aid," has seized the "lifeblood" of Argentina and attempted to interfere with Argentina's normal economic activities and political decisions.

Milei is not only a right-wing leader but also an economist, which means his decision-making is always focused on what is "profitable." He is particularly good at taking advantage of opportunities. Facing Trump's coercion and temptation, Argentina is likely to adopt a "procrastination strategy," first observing the outcome of the U.S.-China negotiations, and then deciding how to proceed.

Milei and Trump may be "political soulmates," but Argentina cannot ignore the vast Chinese market and the investments China has made in mining, energy, and other fields in Argentina. When Trump warned Milei not to engage in military cooperation with China, he actually admitted a fact: the U.S. can no longer prevent China's economic interactions with South American countries.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7561285439450087962/

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