Buenos Aires, February 17 (RHC-Mercopress) -- Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira rejected claims that the recent agreements reached by Argentina with China can interfere with MERCOSUR, while his Argentinian counterpart Hector Timerman said that the package of accords with Beijing will “actually benefit MERCOSUR.”

Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez travelled to Beijing recently and signed a number of agreements with the Chinese government. Last week, the Brazilian foreign minister visited Buenos Aires, his first overseas trip since his appointment, ratifying the strategic significance Brazil attributes to Argentina, its main trade partner and associate in MERCOSUR.

At the meeting in the Brazilian embassy in Buenos Aires, besides Timerman, Vieira met with Economy minister Axel Kicillof, Industry minister Deborah Giorgi, Federal Planning minister Julio De Vido as well as with business people from Brazil and Argentina.

Delegations of Argentinian and Brazilian businesspeople expressed their concern about the expansion of Chinese investments in the region and in Argentina. Following the agreements signed by Cristina Fernandez with China, some Sao Paulo media questioned the extent and conditions of some of the agreements and how they might impact on bilateral trade and investment of Brazil with Argentina.