China and Chile have agreed to maintain high-level exchanges, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and expand trade in goods and services, the digital economy, smart cities, 5G and clean energy. 

The agreement was reached during a phone conversation between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chilean Foreign Minister Antonia Urrejola on Tuesday. 

China is ready to work with Chile to push their comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level, Wang said. 

Noting that the two countries are committed to advocating and practicing multilateralism and promoting democracy in international relations, he stressed upholding the international system with the United Nations at its core, safeguarding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and improving global governance. 

Wang added China is willing to conduct human rights dialogue and cooperation with other countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect and is willing to work with Chile to promote the sound and steady development of the international human rights cause. 

For his part, Urrejola mentioned that Chile is the first South American country to establish diplomatic ties and sign a free trade agreement with China. 

China is not only Chile's largest trading partner and export destination, but also a comprehensive strategic partner in a wide range of areas of cooperation, she added. 

Chile has always adhered to the one-China policy, which is an important political foundation for its relations with China, she said. 

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the achievements in economic and trade cooperation and said that they will jointly uphold the WTO-centered multilateral trading system. 

They also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fight against the pandemic and carry out joint vaccine production and drug research. 

(Cover: File photo of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. /China's Foreign Ministry)