China and Argentina exert pressure to end agreement over nuclear power plant controversy

Under the subtleties that diplomacy still hides, the Chinese government will disembark in 15 days in Buenos Aires to achieve a specific goal: concludes once and for all with the government of Mauricio Macri an agreement on the construction of the controversial nuclear power station IV in Argentina, it plans an overall investment of $ 7.900 million and is expected to begin in 2021 with 100% Chinese technology.

Vice Chancellor of China, Qin Gang will arrive on April 15 in the country and will hold meetings with the Chancellor Jorge Faurie, the Minister of Finance Nicolás Dujovne and the secretary of energy Gustavo Lopetegui sign the letter of intent of the agreement relating to the nuclear power plant to be built in the city of Campana and will have a flexible financing program for the administration of Xi Jinping

According to what they said Infobae Diplomatic sources, the Vice Chancellor of China's trip is clearly intended to exert pressure only once the contract approved by the power plant who had a lot of ideas and returns.

In the government, they reject the idea of ​​diplomatic pressure. "We do not see this as a pressure on our government since all the conditions are in place for the agreement to materialize," said a Casa Rosada official about the Chinese advance in Buenos Aires.

Beyond the euphemisms, the concrete fact is that the signing of the letter of intent between China and Argentina, to be held from April 15 to 17, is the first relevant step for the three contracts that this ambitious and controversial plans to materialize. project. One of them is the contract of employment itself, the other is the administrative investment contract and the third is the credit agreement of a duration of 20 years that will be signed to develop the nuclear power plant.

As you could confirm Infobae, 10 days ago, successfully completed in Buenos Aires the visit of a mission of the Chinese company in charge of the project National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and Xi Jinping Government monitor the details of the agreement with the Energy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and State Representatives, who together with Vice Chancellor Qin will pbad to the letter stage of ######################################################################### 39; intent.

During the technical visits made by this CNNC mission, details were defined about the suppliers that the construction company will have, the components that the factory will carry with China's exclusive technology and the power of the company. purchase of equipment up to 40% for the Argentine part. .

At meetings that Mauricio Macri just had with Xi Jinping's government counterparts at the recent South-South Summit of the UN in Buenos Aires, Vice Chancellor Qin's visit was closed. The Argentine President was willing to advance this project despite Argentina's current economic difficulties and the existing level of external debt.

"We are about to complete this project which has seen twists and many questions," admitted an Argentine diplomat.

The efforts of the ambbadador in China Diego Guelar and the undersecretary for nuclear energy Julián Gadano they also helped to participate in this difficult struggle in which Dujovne, through budgetary issues, was opposed to taking the initiative.

Apparently, the letter of intent that the Chinese Vice Chancellor wants to sign is considering an agreement that will come into force in 2021 and cost $ 7,900 million. In turn, Bejing plans to offer an additional loan of $ 2,500 million which will be freely available from the National Treasury.

All of these loans will begin to be repaid in 2021 and the government estimates that the current economic situation will not be affected by these disbursements.

"The Chinese government has maintained its interest in deepening the nuclear partnership with Argentina and has a flexible vision to agree on a system consistent with the country's current financial restrictions," acknowledged a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who participated in the internal debates of the government and the government. during the rebellion that Argentina temporarily imposed on the Chinese government last year, when it decided to end the joint initiative against the monetary debacle.

Nuclear energy experts do not believe it is convenient to fully embrace Chinese technology and leave out the CANDU, of Canadian origin, traditionally used by Argentina, as they understand that this would imply dependence on the energy matrix in the long term.

Irma Arguello, Director of the Foundation for Global Security for Non-Proliferation (NPSGlobal) has alerted Infobae that "the Chinese nuclear power project is a very controversial issue because Argentina has the experience of natural uranium and heavy water reactors, while the Chinese offer a reactor called Hualong One slightly enriched in uranium and light water but that 'There is no national experience in this type of technology, unlike CANDU technology'.

The nuclear energy specialist pointed out that the contribution of the national industry to this project would be much less than if it were a CANDU project. It is estimated that only 15% of the facilities that China plans to install in the country will be equipped with Argentine technology. "This is a strategic shift that links us to the supply of enriched uranium from the reactor," added Arguello.

At a time, Daniel Redondowho, until last year, was Secretary of the Government's Energy Planning Coordination, told the media that the benefits to Argentina of maintaining this position would be that the country maintain its relevant position on technology. nuclear; it would be the first plant and enriched uranium technology. modern and help diversify the energy matrix.

However, Redondo also admitted that it was a "high investment" project and that the cost of energy produced as opposed to what Vaca Muerta would produce in energy would be questioned. "He also alleged that there were objections from environmentalists.

This is not the only critical opinion of the initiative in this line. Some Foreign Ministry officials have warned the executive against the risks of maintaining a permanent dependence on China in foreign policy and particularly in sensitive areas such as oil and gas. energy in the case of dams or nuclear power plants.

In addition, objections go beyond the budget issue or the energy policy. Specialists and opposition officials warn that China's advance in Latin America hides a geopolitical strategy that could affect national security at some point in sensitive areas such as nuclear power plants, space stations or the invasion of low-cost technologies.

For the moment, serious questions are already being raised internationally in European countries and the United States regarding the installation of a Chinese space station in Neuquén, managed by an agency dependent on the 39 Chinese People's Army and whose antenna is installed on 200 hectares. given to the Chinese for 50 years could have dual use. That is, the information obtained could be used for peaceful space exploration or, possibly, interception of satellites from military targets, according to US officials.

Not only that. As you could confirm InfobaeAt the Ministry of Defense, chiefs of staff technicians drafted a document warning against the possible military use of China's operations in the Neuquén station. This confidential document would contain alarming data on the future risks related to the transfer of 200 hectares in China for the management of an antenna over which Argentina has no control.

Last week, the group of Peronist senators led by Miguel Angel Pichetto has submitted a request for resolution so that Congress retains permanent control over China's actions in the Neuquén space station through a bicameral commission. But in the ruling caucus, Cambiemos gave no answer.

At all this China's ambitious advance network in Latin America add the objections of the mobile phone company, the Chinese giant Huawei, the United States, Italy or the United Kingdom Kingdom, for the "risk" of the 5G Infrastructure delivery processing sensitive information from millions of citizens of the Xi Jinping regime.