Alibaba partners with Argentina to expand trade

ALIBABA Group today has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Argentina to build new trade opportunities as overseas countries are betting on increasing of demand for imported goods and are turning towards Chinese online shopping to woo consumers.

Both parties will be committing to support merchants marketing to Chinese consumers through Alibaba's e-commerce platforms, according to a joint email statement. 

"The ultimate beneficiaries will be the merchants, especially small and medium enterprises, who will gain access to unprecedented cross-border trade opportunities through Alibaba's platforms," Alibaba Group president Michael Evans said in the statement.

Wine and fresh foods are two particular areas of focus for the agreement and Alibaba's platforms will be designated as official channels by the Argentinean Government, who will also provide online and offline support for Argentine wine exports into China.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri and chairman Jack Ma signed the agreement at the Presidential Office in Buenos Aires.

"This agreement is a great step for Argentina on its way to becoming the 'supermarket of the world', and is part of the mission we are undertaking to bring Argentine SMEs better trade opportunities and greater global competitiveness," said Juan Pablo Tripodi, Vice President of

International Trade of the Argentina Investment and Trade Promotion Agency.

As a part of his trip in the country, Ma also gave a speech at the Cultural Center of Science to encourage and inspire young entrepreneurs to contribute to the digital economy and his thinking about how new technologies would shape the business world in the future.