China may consider free trade with Mercosur

The Venezuelan economist Álvaro Ruiz said that China is very important in the global economy, as no other country exports as much, and as such it should be possible for agreements to be signed between Mercosur and China, as the Asian country requires food and raw materials that are to be found primarily in Latin America.

"China has the second largest gross domestic product and it is the world's factory. 94% of its exports are manufactured goods," he explained.

Ruiz added that China's interest in Latin America is "logical," as China cannot develop on its own and needs raw materials and food which are mostly to be found in Latin America. He added that China has "some kind of manual" on how to manage its relations with Latin America, so there is a "possibility of establishing free trade between China and Mercosur."

Venezuela-China Relations
The expert noted that relations between China and Venezuela "are in full swing," since the two countries signed additional energy, cultural and financial agreements. "Venezuela has trade with China worth billions of dollars," he added.