Chile President: Chinese is the language of this century

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‍Chinese is “the language in which big topics of the 21st century will be discussed,” the Chilean President Michelle Bachelet affirmed on Tuesday at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Confucius Institute at Santo Tomas University in the capital Santiago.

Bachelet also expressed the desire to learn the language after her presidential term ends next March. "The Confucius Institute is the main method of diffusing the Chinese culture and language in our country through courses, workshops and cultural activities. I am thinking of registering next year in March," she continued.

Emphasizing the importance of the Confucius Institute, that has trained over 12,000 Chileans in Chinese language and culture, in promoting bilateral ties, she said: "Throughout these years, it (the Confucius Institute) has made great contributions to the building of cross-Pacific bridges to advance our goal of becoming a connection platform between South America and Asia, a region in which China... plays a leading role," she said.

A Chinese dance class during the Confucius Institute Day ceremony in Recta Las Salinas, in Vina del Mar, Chile, September 27, 2014. /Xinhua Photo‍

Bachelet also underlined the special relation Chile has maintained over the years with China. It was the first country in South America to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China – in 1970 – and also the first in the region to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with China, in 2005.

“China is one of our main political partners on the path of openness, integration and cooperation for progress. I think we (Chile and China) have moved along a very positive path in recent decades and we must continue moving forward," she added.

Focus on China and Asia-Pacific

The Chilean President was confident that China and the Asia-Pacific region will lead the geopolitical future of the world in years to come.

"We know very well that our relationship with China... and with the Asia-Pacific... is crucial. The world is currently turning more than ever toward the Pacific, and we must look in this direction," Bachelet said at the event that came exactly a year after Chinese President Xi Jinping made a historic visit to Chile.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (1st R) holds talks with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet (3rd L) in Santiago, capital of Chile, November 22, 2016. /Xinhua Photo

Xi’s trip to Santiago in November 2016 was his first state visit to the Latin American country and laid a foundation for lifting bilateral ties to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership. During his talks with Bachelet, Xi “compared China and Chile to true friends who could touch each other's heart from the other end of the world," and commended Chile for taking the lead amongst Latin American countries in developing ties with China, Xinhua reported.

The Chinese President asserted that bilateral ties with Chile have entered a new era of maturity and stability.

Earlier in June last year, China opened its first yuan clearing bank in Chile, which is also the first in Latin America, setting up a platform to upgrade financial cooperation between China, Chile and other South American countries.

Upgraded FTA agreement

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet in Da Nang, Vietnam, November 11, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

During Xi’s visit last year, Beijing and Santiago agreed to jointly push forward the construction of the FTA of the Asia-Pacific, enhance regional connectivity, build up open economies, so as to make greater contributions to world stability and prosperity, according to the joint statement.

Earlier this month, Xi and Bachelet witnessed the signing of a bilateral deal on upgrading the FTA between the two countries, on the sidelines of the APEC meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam. Xi underlined that this is China's first FTA upgrade completed with a Latin American country.

The upgraded agreement will unleash new impetus for the practical cooperation between China and Chile and set a new benchmark for China's cooperation with other Latin American countries as well as a new role model for the world, Xi was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (center right) and his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet (center left) witness the signing of a bilateral deal on upgrading the FTA between the two countries in Da Nang, Vietnam, November 11, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Bachelet on Tuesday asserted the FTA has been key for bilateral trade growth at an exponential rate. "Thanks to this FTA, bilateral trade expanded at an average annual rate of 16 percent to reach 31.4 billion US dollars last year," she said.

China, Chile's 25th-largest trading partner before the FTA agreement, is its biggest trade partner today. As a result of the FTA deal signed in 2005, “as much as 97 percent of Chile's exports to China are free of tariffs now,” said Bachelet.

(Top photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcoming ceremony held by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet in Santiago, capital of Chile, November 22, 2016. /Xinhua Photo)

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