Port Photo: VCG

China is willing to provide support and assistance within its ability for Chile to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Wang Shouwen, vice minister of China's Ministry of Commerce, said on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the 7th Chile Week, the biggest promotional event for Chilean goods in China, at the Chilean Embassy in Beijing.  

China is Chile's largest trading partner and import source, as well as Chile's largest export destination country, thanks to the free trade agreement between the two countries, the first of its kind between China and a Latin-American country, as well as the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Speaking via video link at the event on Tuesday, Wang said that the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Chile is profound, and the trade structure between the two countries is highly complementary.

In September 2021, China formally applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economic Partnership Agreement (DEPA). Wang said that "China has received Chile's support in both aspects."

"While RCEP has officially entered into force, we are willing to provide support and help within our ability for Chile to join RCEP," Wang said.

Despite the lingering global challenges such as the high inflation and geopolitical tensions, the scale of China's economy continues to expand and its external relations have become closer. At the same time, the mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation between China and Chile has brought tangible benefits to both sides.

In 2021, total trade volume between China and Chile reached $65.81 billion, a year-on-year increase of 51.6 percent, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

Such a trend continued this year. From January to October, the bilateral trade increased by 7 percent year-on-year. Among them, Chile's export to China rose by 16.6 percent. 

Chilean red wine, cherries, and salmon are popular in the Chinese market, while Chinese firms such as BYD, Chery, Huawei, and Xiaomi mobile phones are also well-known in Chile, Wang said.

Global Times