ONLINE EVENT: What’s Next in China-Chile Relations?

China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in Chile expanded considerably in the past few years alone. In 2018, China’s Tianqi Lithium paid US$4 billion to become the second-largest shareholder in Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM), the largest lithium producer in Chile. The following year, Huawei Chile invested US$100 million in a data center in the country. A second data center followed by the end of 2020. And in March 2021, Chile’s Fiscalía Nacional Económica (FNE), the country’s antitrust authority, approved State Grid’s acquisition of a 96 percent stake in the Chilean unit of Spain’s Naturgy, sparking concern among some in Chile about China’s growing economic influence. In other cases, non-commercial arrangements, such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences South America Center for Astronomy (CASSACA), jointly run by the National Astronomical Observatory of China and the University of Chile, have paved the way for expanded collaboration in wide-ranging fields of study. 

To what extent will China-Chile economic relations continue to grow in the coming years? Will the country’s portfolio of concessions remain attractive to Chinese companies or will possible reforms limit engagement by Chinese and other firms? How does China’s engagement with Chile advance Belt and Road and other objectives? And how will growing Chinese investment affect popular views of China-Chile relations? 

The Inter-American Dialogue is pleased to co-host this event with the Chile Pacific Foundation.  

Follow this event on Twitter at #ChinaChile and @The_Dialogue.  

We invite participants to submit questions using the Q&A function in Zoom. 

Please note that this event will be held in English and Spanish. Simultaneous interpretation is available for those who join the event online through the RSVP. 

SPEAKERS:

PIERRE PETTIGREW

Chair of the Board, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; Executive Advisor, International, Deloitte Canada

LONGYAN SHEN

Business Director, Asia Desk, EY Chile

IGNACIO TORNERO

Adjunct Professor, Pontifical Catholic University; Affiliate Researcher at the Pontifical Catholic University’s Institute of International Studies; and Senior Associate at Carey Law

COMMENTATOR:

MARGARET MYERS

Director, Asia and Latin America Program, Inter-American Dialogue (@MyersMargaret)

MODERATOR:

LORETO LEYTON

Executive Director, Chile Pacific Foundation

EVENT PARTNER:

This event is hosted in partnership with the Chile Pacific Foundation.