ARG300 (151210) -- BUENOS AIRES, diciembre 10, 2015 (Xinhua) -- El presidente de la Argentina, Mauricio Macri (d) recibió a las delegaciones internacionales en el Palacio San Martín con la `presencia del Enviado Especial del Presidente de la Republica Popular China, Xi Jinping, tambien Vicepresidente del Comite Premanente de la Asamblea Popular Nacional de China, Ji Bingxuan. © Xinhua/Gustavo Cherro
ARG300 (151210) — BUENOS AIRES, diciembre 10, 2015 (Xinhua) — El presidente de la Argentina, Mauricio Macri (d) recibió a las delegaciones internacionales en el Palacio San Martín con la `presencia del Enviado Especial del Presidente de la Republica Popular China, Xi Jinping, tambien Vicepresidente del Comite Premanente de la Asamblea Popular Nacional de China, Ji Bingxuan. © Xinhua/Gustavo Cherro

BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) — Argentina’s newly installed President Mauricio Macri and his administration seek to strengthen ties with China, the country’s ambassador-designate to Beijing said Friday.

“China is a trade partner, the second-largest after Brazil, but the No. 1 investor and No. 1 financier,” Diego Guelar said in an interview with local radio Del Plata.

“We have a strategic partnership that has to be strengthened, and that I’m sure we are going to expand and develop,” he said.

“The conditions (of bilateral ties) are hugely positive. Argentina is very actively on the map of Chinese investments and credits, and our project is to strengthen and continue along this line,” Guelar said.

Chinese engineers of the Gezhouba enterprise, Ni Si Ping (L), Guo Cui Zhi (C), and Yao Xiao Guo (R) react in the Piedra Buena workroom, in the city of Comandante Luis Piedra Buena, in Santa Cruz province, 3000km from the city of Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, on Sept. 2, 2015. © Xinhua/Martin Zabala
Chinese engineers of the Gezhouba enterprise, Ni Si Ping (L), Guo Cui Zhi (C), and Yao Xiao Guo (R) react in the Piedra Buena workroom, in the city of Comandante Luis Piedra Buena, in Santa Cruz province, 3000km from the city of Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, on Sept. 2, 2015. © Xinhua/Martin Zabala

An experienced diplomat, Guelar served as ambassador to the European Union (1989-1995), to Brazil (1995-1996) and to the United States (1996-1999 and 2002-2003).