ON Junly 27, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan and Chile Foreign Minister Teodoro Ribera Neumann had an in-depth exchange of views on joint COVID-19 response and deepening bilateral trade and economic links via a video conference. The conference was also attended by Rodrigo Yáñez Benitez, under-secretary for International Economic Relations of Chile, and Xu Bu, Chinese ambassador to Chile.

Minister Zhong Shan noted that in the phone calls and correspondence between President Xi Jinping and President Pinera, the two leaders reached a number of important agreements on stepping up joint covid-19 response and deepening bilateral relations. To act upon the leaders'consensus, China has provided emergency supplies to Chile, facilitated Chile's procurement of medical supplies from China, and will continue to support Chile in covid-19 containment to the best of its ability. On July 17, the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile released the Joint Statement on Strengthening FTA cooperation and fighting COVID-19. On occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, China is ready to enhance strategic alignment and deepen commercial cooperation with Chile. The two sides should promote free flow of trade and investment, defend the multilateral trading system, and open up new ground for bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Foreign Minister Ribera thanked China for its support in the fight against COVID-19. The two sides have worked together against difficulties to score progress in commercial cooperation. Chile is willing to increase export of specialty goods to China to serve both economies. Chile will join China in safeguarding free trade and the multilateral trading system, opposing protectionism, and endorsing necessary WTO reform.

After the meeting, the two sides signed the MOU on the Establishment of a Trade Working Group.