Chile-China Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $57.22B total volume โ€ขChile surplus: $17.99B

Chile โ†’ China

$37.61B

Exports (2023)

China โ†’ Chile

$19.62B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$17.99B

Surplus for Chile

Total Trade

$57.22B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between Chile and China. Green line shows exports from Chile, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the Chile-China commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

Chile โ†’ China Exports

$37.61B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
46.5% top product
1Copper ores and concentrates
$17.47B
46.5% of exports
2Copper: refined, unwrought, cathodes and sections of cathodes
$6.10B
16.2% of exports
3Carbonates: lithium carbonate
$3.70B
9.9% of exports
4Fruit, edible: cherries, other than sour cherries (Prunus cerasus), fresh
$2.12B
5.6% of exports
5Iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated
$1.22B
3.2% of exports
6Copper: unrefined, copper anodes for electrolytic refining
$1.15B
3.1% of exports
7Wood pulp: chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate, (other than dissolving grades), semi-bleached or bleached, of coniferous wood
$870.04M
2.3% of exports
8Sulphates: n.e.c. in item no. 2833.2
$744.25M
2.0% of exports
9Wood pulp: chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate, (other than dissolving grades), semi-bleached or bleached, of non-coniferous wood
$641.49M
1.7% of exports
10Iodine
$406.43M
1.1% of exports

๐ŸŽฏ Strategic Export Focus

Chile's export portfolio to China demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with copper ores and concentrates representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

China โ†’ Chile Imports

$19.62B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
5.3% concentration
1Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks
$1.05B
5.3% of imports
2Automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display
$570.01M
2.9% of imports
3Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys: dolls' carriages: dolls: other toys: reduced-size (scale) models and similar recreational models, working or not: puzzles of all kinds
$491.72M
2.5% of imports
4Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500cc
$450.47M
2.3% of imports
5Electric motors and generators: DC, of an output not exceeding 750W
$361.14M
1.8% of imports
6Electric generating sets: wind-powered, (excluding those with spark-ignition or compression-ignition internal combustion piston engines)
$316.61M
1.6% of imports
7Electric accumulators: other than lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel-iron, nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion, including separators, whether or not rectangular (including square)
$298.57M
1.5% of imports
8Vehicles: public transport type (carries 10 or more persons, including driver), with only electric motor for propulsion, new or used
$287.51M
1.5% of imports
9Communication apparatus (excluding telephone sets or base stations): machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, including switching and routing apparatus
$284.71M
1.5% of imports
10Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a gvw not exceeding 5 tonnes), n.e.c. in item no 8704.1
$276.80M
1.4% of imports

๐Ÿ“ฆ Import Strategy Analysis

Chile's import pattern from China reveals significant dependencyin telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

๐Ÿ†

Market Leadership

Chile demonstrates competitive strength in exportingcopper ores and concentrates to China, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 20+ Categories
๐Ÿ”„

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsmoderatecomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Specialized Exchange
๐Ÿ“ˆ

Growth Potential

The $57.22B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Major Partnership

Executive Summary: Chile-China Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $57.22 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Chile maintains a surplus of $17.99 billion
  • Export Focus: Chile's primary exports include copper ores and concentrates, copper: refined, unwrought, cathodes and sections of cathodes, carbonates: lithium carbonate
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from China include telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display, tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys: dolls' carriages: dolls: other toys: reduced-size (scale) models and similar recreational models, working or not: puzzles of all kinds

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationDiversified
Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

๐Ÿ“ˆ Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents one of the world's largest trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $57.22B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with Chile leveraging its comparative advantages in copper ores and concentrates.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

Chile's specialization in copper ores and concentratescomplements China's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $57.22B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationLow
Market DependencyHigh
๐Ÿ”ฎ

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $57.22B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

๐Ÿ’ฐ

Trade Volume Impact

The $57.22 billion bilateral trade volume represents a major economic driverfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Very High
๐Ÿญ

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in copper ores and concentrates and telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified
โš–๏ธ

Trade Balance Effects

Chile's trade surplus of $17.99 billion strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Export Advantage

Strategic Future Outlook

๐Ÿš€Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in copper: refined, unwrought, cathodes and sections of cathodes present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

โš ๏ธRisk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in copper ores and concentrates may affect future market positioning.

๐ŸŽฏStrategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between Chile and China represents a total trade volume of $57.22 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for Chile, with exports exceeding importsby $17.99 billion.

Export Strengths

Chile's exports to China total $37.61 billion, with competitive advantages in copper ores and concentrates, representing $17.47B or46.5% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from China amount to $19.62 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, with Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks comprising5.3% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates Chile's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between Chile and China in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) โ€ข Last Updated: January 2025 โ€ข Coverage: 1995-2023