China, Chile urged to create model of common development

President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Chilean President Gabriel Boric during their meeting in Beijing on Wednesday. (FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY)

President Xi Jinping has called on China and Chile to work together to create a model of common development between China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, set a stellar example of South-South cooperation, and jointly promote the cause of peace and progress for humanity.

Xi made the remarks on Wednesday during a meeting with Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who is in Beijing for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Forum.

Xi hailed the development of bilateral ties, and said that China is willing to work with Chile to consolidate political mutual trust, firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, and safeguard each other's sovereignty, security and development interests.

He called on the two countries to implement the Belt and Road cooperation plan, deepen cooperation on agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, industrial investment, infrastructure and green minerals, and cultivate new growth drivers in the fields of astronomy, polar regions, artificial intelligence, biomedicine and the digital economy.

China supports more Chinese enterprises in investing and doing business in Chile and welcomes more high-quality Chilean products to enter the Chinese market, he said.

Saying that the international situation is turbulent and complex, with waves of unilateralism and protectionism causing serious disruption to the international economic and trade order, Xi urged China and Chile, which he described as staunch defenders of multilateralism and free trade, to enhance multilateral cooperation to safeguard the common interests of the countries of the Global South.

Boric said that China has become Chile's most important trading partner, and bilateral cooperation has benefited the two peoples.

Chile will firmly adhere to the one-China principle, and is ready to expand cooperation with China on trade, investment and artificial intelligence, jointly advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he said.

All countries should adhere to free trade, mutual benefit and win-win results, Boric said, adding that trade should not only serve the private interests of one individual country and waging a trade war leads nowhere.

Chile is willing to work with China to firmly safeguard multilateralism and the authority of the United Nations, insist on resolving differences through dialogue, and jointly uphold international fairness and justice, he said.

This is Boric's second visit to China since he became Chilean president in March 2022, with the previous one taking place in October 2023. During the latest visit to China, the two countries signed a number of cooperation documents in fields such as the economy, publishing, inspection and quarantine, media and think tanks.