MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Presidents of China and Chile meet in Beijing

Boric told Xi Jinping that commerce should benefit people reciprocally, not serve one country’s interests

During Wednesday's encounter with his Chilean colleague Gabriel Boric Font in Beijing at the IV Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)-China ministerial Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the importance of South-South cooperation in a controversial world. He also recalled that the occasion marked 55 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The Chinese leader also underscored the need for further mutual development amid stronger political trust and support on core interests such as sovereignty and security, particularly on the Expanded Belt and Road cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, green minerals, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, and digital economy.

Both leaders also advocated for multilateralism and free trade. Xi stressed safeguarding Global South interests, while Boric opposed trade wars, referencing historical conflicts like the 19th-century Opium War and Chile’s own experiences with trade restrictions. They also signed cooperation agreements on economics, publications, inspection, quarantine, media, and expert groups.

The South American dignitary reaffirmed Chile’s commitment to the one-China principle, multilateralism, and dialogue to resolve differences. He highlighted China as Chile’s top trading partner and longed for deeper investments and cultural ties.

Boric criticized trade wars, particularly referencing tensions initiated by the United States, and insisted commerce should benefit people reciprocally, not serve one country’s interests.

“In Chile, we hold the deep conviction that when trade is free and is designed to improve the welfare of the people, and not just a few, it brings benefits that are reciprocal. This is being questioned in the world today. Therefore, our being here today is a demonstration of our conviction in multilateralism and that trade wars are not the way to face our problems or differences,” Boric insisted.

”Chile is a country that believes in multilateralism, in peace, in dialogue, that has relations with the European Union (EU), with the US, with the Asia-Pacific countries, with China, with our region. And we want to deepen that,” he added.

Boric’s visit followed his participation in the China-CELAC Forum alongside leaders from Colombia and Brazil, where he similarly championed free trade and multilateralism, holding tallks with Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Gustavo Petro of Colombia.