The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, arrived in Beijing this Thursday to participate in the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics and discuss with the Government of the Asian country the renegotiation of the debt and the signing of a free trade agreement.
“We arrived in China with two very important objectives for Ecuador: a free trade agreement and debt renegotiation. They are days full of work between the teams of both countries. We are sure that the results will be positive and will benefit the Ecuadorian people,” the president wrote on his Twitter account.
Chinese state television broadcast images of the arrival of the Ecuadorian ruler, who will remain at all times within the security “bubble” in which the Games will be held to prevent covid-19 infections.
Upon his departure from Quito, Lasso advanced that he hopes to “achieve positive objectives for the development” of his country, which includes the renegotiation of the debt he maintains with Chinese banks, which amounts to about $4.6 billionof which 400 million are “concessional debt” at very low interest and very long term.
We arrived in China with two very important objectives for Ecuador: a free trade agreement and debt renegotiation. They are days full of work between the teams of both countries. We are sure that the results will be positive and will benefit the Ecuadorian people.
— Guillermo Lasso (@LassoGuillermo) February 3, 2022
Lasso’s agenda in Beijing includes a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiangaccording to sources from the Presidency of the Andean country.
China is Ecuador’s second most important trading partner and one of the most important sources of foreign direct investment, which is why Lasso also plans to meet with businessmen from the Asian country to promote the exportable supply of Ecuador and the portfolio of investment projects.
The Ecuadorian leader also plans to take advantage of his trip to discuss Chinese cooperation in terms of immunization plans and management of the covid-19 pandemic, during which the Asian country has provided Ecuador with 52% of the total doses of vaccines.
His wife also travels in Lasso’s entourage, Maria de Lourdes Alcivar; and the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Production, Economy and Health.
Lasso and his counterpart from Argentina, Alberto Fernández, are the only two Latin American leaders who will be present at the opening of the Winter Olympicswhich will take place tomorrow Friday at the National Stadium, popularly known as “El Nido”.
Ecuador will be represented at the Olympic event by the skier sarah escobar, the first Ecuadorian woman to participate in a Winter Games. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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