Within the elliptical office of the White House, Trump shrugged his hand with Argentina’s President Milley, behind a $20 billion deal, a silent game about China’s space observatory.
On October 14, local time, U.S. President Trump in the White House meeting with visiting Argentine President Millei, both sides signed a memorandum. $20 billion currency swap agreementThis aid program, known as “emergency credit,” aims to save Argentina’s economy from deep crisis.
Trump made it clear during the talks: "We can accept some cooperation between Argentina and China, but it cannot go beyond a certain scope, especially military-related cooperation with China is not allowed." U.S. Treasury Secretary Bescent's explanation is more straightforward: whether Argentina can get U.S. aid depends on whether to close the ports, military bases and observation facilities established by China in Argentina.
Argentina's Economic Crisis and U.S. Aid Conditions
Argentina is experiencing severe financial turmoil.Since September, the Argentine peso has dropped sharply and its foreign exchange reserves are almost exhausted.Data shows that Argentina has nominally $33 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but fewer than billions are actually available.The Milley government has an urgent need for external funding to support the stabilization of the market.
U.S. Treasury announced a deal with Argentina’s central bank on October 9. $20 Billion Exchange Framework Agreement。 This is the first large-scale U.S. aid to a foreign government in economic distress since the Clinton administration provided a $20 billion loan to Mexico in 1995.
Trump's assistance is not selfless. He bluntly told Millay at the White House: "If he (Millay) wins, we will continue to support him; if he does not win, we will withdraw." The "win or lose" here refers to Argentina's upcoming mid-term congressional elections on October 26. Millay's ruling coalition "Freedom Forward Party" has recently declined in support, and the results of this election will directly affect its ruling prospects.
In addition to the election conditions, Trump also put forward a requirement that would make Argentina left-handed. China's cooperation projects in Argentina, especially the China deep space exploration station called a "military base" by the United States.
The “Chinese military base” referred to by the United States is actually located in Argentina’s Uken Province. China's Deep Space StationThe station was put into operation in 2014 and covers about 500 acres of land, with a large antenna of 35 meters in diameter.
This measurement and control station is the first overseas deep space measurement and control station built by China in the world. It forms a deep space measurement and control network together with Jiamusi and Kashgar deep space stations in China. After being officially put into use in 2017, the station provided key support for China's deep space exploration missions such as Chang'e lunar exploration and Tianwen fire detection.
On July 23, 2020, after the launch of the "Skype 1" Mars probe, it was Argentina's deep space station that first captured the target, successfully putting Khan's merit on the mission.
According to the agreement between China and Argentina, the Argentine government shall not interfere with its normal operation, and cooperation is explicitly limited to the peaceful development and use of outer space.
U.S. Geopolitical Calculation
Why is the United States going to war against a civilian space observatory? Analysts believe that this reflects the increased influence of the United States on China in Latin America. "Deep anxiety"。
Argentina is not a treaty ally of the United States, nor is it on the geopolitical gap line. It is rare for the United States to break the practice of massive blood transfusions to Argentina, especially the decision made by President Trump, who adheres to the "American priority" philosophy.
Trump and Millay have a close relationship. After Millay took office in December 2023, he won praise from Trump and other American conservatives for criticizing the left and making large-scale spending cuts. Trump once called Millay his "favorite president."
At present, among the major Latin American countries, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, etc. are mostly governed by the left or center left, and Argentina is one of the few countries governed by the right. The United States hopes that Millay's reform will succeed, thereby reversing the left-wing trend of thought in Latin America.
The United States regards Latin America as its "backyard" and cannot bear to see in-depth cooperation between other countries and Latin American countries. It is typical to use aid as a bargaining chip to force Argentina to give up scientific and technological cooperation with China “Hegemonic thinking”。
In the face of the two major Chinese and U.S. nations, Argentina has taken a balancing strategy.The Miley government urgently needs U.S. funds to burn its eyebrows, but is not willing to give up cooperation with China.
The chief minister of Argentina's cabinet has refuted the US Treasury Secretary's statement about "letting China withdraw from cooperation", saying that Argentina will not terminate its cooperation with China without relevant agreements.
China is Argentina's second-largest trading partner and the most important source of foreign direct investment.The two sides have signed currency exchange agreements worth up to 130 billion yuan, and China is also one of Argentina's largest buyers of agricultural products such as soybeans and beef.
Argentina’s security minister, Mr. Burriche, clarified that he hadn’t discussed with the United States “the closure of this facility” at all, and that if it were done as requested by the United States, it would not only lose a reliable partner, but also seriously damage Argentina’s sovereign reputation.
In an interview with the Financial Times in December 2023, Argentine President Fernandez once emphasized: "Argentina will not allow the construction of military bases of China or other countries on its soil." This shows Argentina's firm position in safeguarding national sovereignty.
Strategic Value of Deep Space Stations
China's deep space station in Argentina is located in Neuquen Province and has an important strategic position. As an important aerospace infrastructure for China in the southern hemisphere, the station has greatly improved China's measurement and control coverage of deep space spacecraft. More than 90%。
In China's aerospace engineering, Argentina's deep space station has played an irreplaceable role. During the 2020 Chang 'e-5 lunar sampling and return mission, the station helped achieve the first quasi-real-time interferometry of the "Namibia-Argentina" baseline, filling the gap in the interferometry arc outside China.
The United States has built several military bases and space surveillance stations around the world, including Australia’s Sunshine Satellite Station. US accusations of Chinese civilian facilities are seen by experts as "Double standards"。
China's cooperation in Latin America does not attach political conditions and does not interfere in internal affairs. Real international influence comes from respect rather than coercion. This cooperation mode is being recognized by more and more Latin American countries.
This $20 billion aid wave, on the surface, is economic negotiations, and in fact is Collision of hegemonic thinking and cooperation ideas。
The United States tried to cut off the complementary relationship between China and Arab countries with short-term checks, which not only underestimated the autonomy of Latin American countries, but also misjudged the general trend of international cooperation. From Brazil's 5G construction to Argentina's space cooperation, Chinese technology is winning trust with an equal and transparent cooperation model.
According to the analysis of Argentine scholars, Milei is most likely to adopt the strategy of "relying on the United States for economy and staying in China through cooperation", formally responding to the United States, but essentially retaining civilian cooperation projects with China. If this balancing technique is successful, Argentina will become the "backbone" between China and the United States.
Trump's aid farce reflects the collision between hegemonic thinking and the trend of globalization. History has proved that the beggar-thy-neighbor strategy will eventually be abandoned by the times, and open cooperation is the key to the future.
In the future, Argentina’s choices will affect the diplomatic direction of Latin America as a whole. Rafael Vera, a political analyst at the University of Buenos Aires, said: “Argentina will not relinquish cooperation with either side easily.