Trump administration ties Argentina support to rollback of China credit line
Washington warns US$18 billion China swap endangers Argentina’s sovereignty and boosts Beijing’s sway in South America
The demand, first reported by the local newspaper Clarin and confirmed by the Post on Thursday, was delivered in meetings between the two delegations in New York, where senior US officials made clear that Washington expected Buenos Aires to reduce reliance on Chinese credit lines.
They argued that the swap, renewed last year and currently worth about US$18 billion, represented a long-term risk to Argentine sovereignty and created opportunities for China to expand its influence in South America.
The Post has reached out to China’s embassy in Buenos Aires for comment.
In April, US President Donald Trump’s Latin America envoy Mauricio Claver-Carone described the swap as “extortionate” and warned that Washington would withhold support for Argentina’s loan request to the International Monetary Fund if the agreement with Beijing remained in place.