• Chile’s Economy Ministry and InvestChile concluded a successful investment promotion tour in Asia, where over 420 representatives from Asian companies participated in more than 40 activities.

Chile recently concluded a successful investment promotion tour in Asia as part of its ongoing quest to strengthen trade relations and attract investment.

Chile’s Economy, Development and Tourism Minister Nicolás Grau and InvestChile Director Karla Flores led the two-week roadshow covering three key countries: Japan, South Korea and China.

In total, over 420 representatives from Asian companies participated in more than 40 activities.

Japan and South Korea

The tour began on October 9 in Tokyo, Japan, where the Chilean delegation participated in 16 activities, including bilateral meetings, meetings with companies and banks, and interviews with the local press.

Highlights included meetings at the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) and a presentation for the financial industry in a meeting organized jointly with the local office of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Japan Institute for Overseas Investment (JOI).

The bilateral meetings with companies from sectors like mining, energy, finance and food included influential companies such as Sumitomo and Mitsui.

The delegation continued the roadshow in Seoul, South Korea, where they participated in 14 activities, including a seminar on the Chile-Korea Free Trade Agreement and a meeting with executives interested in the lithium industry co-organized with the Korean International Trade Association (KITA) and the Korea Battery Industry Association (KBIA).

During the visit, they met with major Korean companies, like LG Energy Solution and Posco Holdings.

ChileWeek China 2023

The tour culminated in China, where the delegation joined ChileWeek in Chengdu, Beijing and Shanghai. The eighth version of the ProChile event was headed by the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric.

The state visit included a meeting with the Chairman of the Chinese National People’s Congress, Xi Jinping, as well as participation in forums, seminars and field visits.

The President of Chile also announced a US$233 million investment by Tsingshan Holding Group, which will begin building a lithium-based products factory in the Antofagasta Region in 2025.

Investment Promotion

InvestChile organized four large-scale industry workshops in the Chinese capital with three Chilean ministers and high-ranking Chilean authorities. More than 225 representatives from Chinese companies attended.

The workshops enabled local companies to explore investment opportunities and tenders in critical high-value-added sectors, such as lithium, electromobility, infrastructure and energy.

In addition, numerous technical visits were carried out to companies of high strategic interest for Chile.

Notably, the InvestChile portfolio currently includes over 60 projects from Asian companies in several sectors, including energy, global services, food, infrastructure and mining, with a total value exceeding US$6.15 billion.

The figure represents 22% of the total project portfolio, which places Asia third in terms of investments in different stages of development.

Chile’s strategic attractiveness

Chile is known worldwide for its political and economic stability in Latin America. It offers a safe, predictable investment environment, which is essential for companies seeking to minimize risk.

Chile’s extensive network of free trade agreements with numerous countries, including China, South Korea and Japan, facilitates access to global markets.

Furthermore, Chile has positioned itself as an entry point for trade with other Latin American countries, providing opportunities to expand operations on the continent.

Chile leads in the production of critical minerals like lithium and copper, which are key inputs for the manufacture of batteries. It actively promotes clean energies like green hydrogen, and the country’s developed infrastructure facilitates logistics and international trade.

The local talent pool, investment incentives and government support are also factors that make Chile an attractive investment destination for Asian companies.

Check out the best images from the roadshow to Asia:

Japan

South Korea

China