Argentina's Milei pivots to pragmatism in first talks with China's Xi after shaking up the G20

President Javier Milei of Argentina, who initially criticized China and Brazil as “murderers” and “thieves,” found himself at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping and agreeing to boost trade with China, despite earlier attempts to disrupt the summit. Argentina has also aligned its foreign policy with hard-right allies, withdrawing peacekeepers from Lebanon and resisting clauses related to taxing the super-rich and regulating online speech. Despite objections, Milei ultimately signed the G20 declaration under international pressure, emphasizing the importance of deepening cooperation with China and securing a deal to export natural gas to Brazil, providing a crucial source of income for Argentina.

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