Peru's Kuczynski seeking infra, mining investment in China

Peru's President Pedro-Pablo Kuczynski is promoting everything from trains to smelters during his visit to China, his first trip abroad since taking office six weeks ago.

Peru is looking for Chinese investment in potable water, sewerage and health infrastructure, as well as ports, railways and a copper smelter project, Kuczynski said.

In order to boost tourism, Peru has decided to waive visas for Chinese citizens holding either US or Schengen visas, said Kuczynski, who met President Xi Jinping and investors in Beijing. China is Peru's main trading partner and a major investor in the Andean country's mining and oil industries.

Chinalco, which operates the Toromocho copper mine in Peru, has expressed interest in building a refinery to produce alloys, Kuczynski said, adding that he planned to meet other mining companies in Shanghai for talks about the potential sale of the shuttered La Oroya zinc-lead smelter.

"The idea of having smelters instead of exporting concentrates went down well," Kuczynski told Lima-based Radioprogramas. "In terms of new mines, we've had meetings with several companies, which are fairly optimistic."

RAILWAYS

Peru should take advantage of its gas reserves to build petrochemicals projects for fertilizers for example, he added. The country is also seeking investment for three light railway projects around Lima, including rail lines that would link Barranca to the north with Ica to the south.

"We need to integrate Lima, and that will be done with rapid transit to link the city from north to south," Kuczynski said at a business forum in Beijing organized by the Bank of China, according to the presidential website. "This is a very interesting project."

A railway project that would cross the Amazon jungle will require a great deal of studies as it would incur high costs and have potential environmental impacts, he said.

Leaders including Xi Jinping, US President Barack Obama and Canada's Justin Trudeau are expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) summit to be held in Lima from November 17-19.

Kuczynski, who took office July 28, has pledged to work to eliminate all bureaucratic obstacles to infrastructure, mining and energy projects in a bid to jumpstart the economy.