China sees smooth trade growth with Chile

SHANGHAI - China and Chile enjoy ample room for future cooperation, both in depth and scope, as bilateral trade has grown smoothly over the years, according to the fifth Chile Week held in Shanghai Monday.

Sales of Chilean cherries, blueberries, avocados and grapes in Shanghai remain strong as the fruits are popular among Chinese consumers, said Wang Wei, general manager of the Shanghai Huizhan International Trade Co Ltd at the event.

According to the organizers of the event, Chile has become one of China's largest sources of fresh fruit imports in terms of export sales, with fruit exports to China increasing 100-fold since 2006 to $1.4 billion last year. One-fifth of China's imported fruits in 2018 came from Chile.

Chile's total food exports to China rose 48.8 percent year-on-year to $2.4 billion in 2018.

Sino-Chilean trade volume hit $42.9 billion in 2018, a 345 percent increase compared with that of 2006 when the free trade agreement between the two countries went into effect.

Investment from Chinese companies in energy, mining, food, service and other industries in Chile has grown more than fivefold between 2016 and 2018.

Chile established diplomatic ties with China in 1970, the first country in South America to do so.