Tuesday 23 April 2024

U.S. 1 — China 0. Geopolitics in Ushuaia

I've been twice to Ushuaia, on the very southern tip of Argentina, the "World's Most Southerly City", both times on the way to Antarctica and back.

I've got a soft spot for the city.

You get "the world's most southerly… " all sorts of things: restaurants, aquarium, museum….

And now — under Argentina's new President Javier Miles, the world's most southerly deal, with America to getting one over China. Heh!

International affairs analysts see a foreign policy shift with far-reaching repercussions for the U.S. and China in Argentina's decision this week to buy American-made F-16 fighter jets and its early April announcement to partner with the U.S. military on a naval base at the southern tip of South America.

Argentina's decision to purchase 24 F-16s from Denmark rather than go with a competing bid from China led some Chinese commentators to lament the setback. Beijing has been trying for more than a decade to sell Argentina JF-17 fighter jets China developed with Pakistan. More…