Heine on Boric’s China Visit: Shaping the Agenda
On October 5, 2023, Amb. Jorge Heine, Research Professor at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and Interim Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future had an opinion column published in La Tercera which is a leading daily newspaper published in Santiago, Chile and owned by Copesa.
Heine’s article focused on President Boric’s upcoming visit to China and what his agenda should be, particularly regarding human rights concerns. Heine emphasizes that Chile and China already have established agreements for addressing human rights issues through multilateral organizations, not bilateral meetings. He underscores the importance of capitalizing on Chile’s unique position as the first South American country to establish diplomatic relations with China and sign a Free Trade Agreement, making China their largest trading partner.
Heine highlights the remarkable growth in bilateral trade, with 40% of Chile’s exports going to China. He also notes the significance of Chile’s role in the RCEP, the world’s largest trade agreement, and the potential for joint ventures in refining copper and industrializing lithium.
Heine closes by revisiting the opportunity to revive the Valparaíso-Shanghai fiber optic cable project, positioning Chile as the digital gateway from Asia to South America, a move that could redefine Chile’s role in the evolving global landscape.
The entire column can be read in La Tercera here.
Ambassador Jorge Heine is a Research Professor at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. He has served as ambassador of Chile to China (2014-2017), to India (2003-2007), and to South Africa (1994-1999), and as a Cabinet Minister in the Chilean Government. Read more about Ambassador Heine on his Pardee School faculty profile.