This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/05/world/americas/argentinas-president-mocks-chinese-accents-during-visit-to-china.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Argentina’s President Mocks Chinese Accents During Visit to China Argentina’s President Mocks Chinese Accents During Visit to China
(about 2 hours later)
During a state visit to China on Wednesday, Argentina’s embattled president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, risked offending her hosts by joking about their accents on Twitter.During a state visit to China on Wednesday, Argentina’s embattled president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, risked offending her hosts by joking about their accents on Twitter.
Ms. Kirchner, who was trying to promote trade and investment ties between the two nations, boasted on her official account that a forum she had attended in Beijing was attended by more than 1,000 business leaders. She then lapsed into broken Spanish to mock the way some Chinese speakers inadvertently mix the “r” sound for an “l” in the Spanish words for goods they might exchange, “rice” and “petroleum.” Ms. Kirchner, who was trying to promote trade and investment ties between the two nations, boasted on her official account that a forum she had attended in Beijing was attended by more than 1,000 business leaders. She then lapsed into broken Spanish to mock the way some Chinese speakers inadvertently mistake the “r” sound for an “l” in the Spanish words for goods they might exchange, “rice” and “petroleum,” as well as in the name of her party’s youth wing, La Cámpora.
Scarcely a minute later, as readers on the social network denounced her wordplay as racist and xenophobic, Ms. Kirchner added a sort of apology.Scarcely a minute later, as readers on the social network denounced her wordplay as racist and xenophobic, Ms. Kirchner added a sort of apology.
After writing that she was “sorry,” the president complained that “levels of ridiculousness and absurdity are so high, they can only be digested with humor.”After writing that she was “sorry,” the president complained that “levels of ridiculousness and absurdity are so high, they can only be digested with humor.”
Despite that attempt to pass off the remark as a harmless joke, Argentines quickly posted a raft of comments despairing of their president on Twitter, with tags based on the pidgin Spanish she had employed.
Five hours after the message was posted, the original tweet was not only still on Ms. Kirchner’s Twitter account, but it was “pinned” to the very top of her page, a space usually reserved for updates users want to make sure all of their readers see.Five hours after the message was posted, the original tweet was not only still on Ms. Kirchner’s Twitter account, but it was “pinned” to the very top of her page, a space usually reserved for updates users want to make sure all of their readers see.
With the world's largest currency reserves, of nearly $4 trillion, China has become an increasingly important economic partner to Argentina, which has struggled financially since defaulting on bonds last year. As Bloomberg Business reported, the Chinese have helped Argentina strengthen its depleted central bank reserves through an agreement known as a currency swap.With the world's largest currency reserves, of nearly $4 trillion, China has become an increasingly important economic partner to Argentina, which has struggled financially since defaulting on bonds last year. As Bloomberg Business reported, the Chinese have helped Argentina strengthen its depleted central bank reserves through an agreement known as a currency swap.
The official Twitter account of Argentina’s presidency later shared Ms. Kirchner’s apology, without explaining what she was apologizing for, before attempting to redirect the attention of Argentine Twitter users to highlights of her reception by her Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.The official Twitter account of Argentina’s presidency later shared Ms. Kirchner’s apology, without explaining what she was apologizing for, before attempting to redirect the attention of Argentine Twitter users to highlights of her reception by her Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
Chinese official media appeared to ignore Ms. Kirchner’s tweets. State television presented an antiseptic account of her meeting with Mr. Xi, saying the two leaders “cemented political and economic ties.”Chinese official media appeared to ignore Ms. Kirchner’s tweets. State television presented an antiseptic account of her meeting with Mr. Xi, saying the two leaders “cemented political and economic ties.”
Aside from Argentina's economic problems, Ms. Kirchner has been struggling with a scandal at home over the mysterious death of a prosecutor investigating the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish center. That prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, had drafted a request for her arrest, the investigator looking into his death said Tuesday.Aside from Argentina's economic problems, Ms. Kirchner has been struggling with a scandal at home over the mysterious death of a prosecutor investigating the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish center. That prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, had drafted a request for her arrest, the investigator looking into his death said Tuesday.
The unusual tweets led some of the president’s critics to suggest that she was cracking under pressure from the scandal. A leaked State Department cable published by the Spanish newspaper El País in 2010 revealed that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had asked the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires to find out the previous year if Ms. Kirchner was “managing her nerves and anxiety” by taking medication of any kind to help her “handle stresses” or “calm down when distressed.”