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Interview: Chilean agricultural exports to China go well -- official

Xinhua, August 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Chilean agricultural exports to China this year are going quite well, according to Rodrigo Contreras, an official with the Agriculture Ministry.

Agricultural exports have grown nearly 3 percent in the first half of the year, Contreras told Xinhua, adding that end-of-year shipments should contribute to increasing the trade flows as Chinese demand continues.

The Asian giant is Chile's largest trade partner, with bilateral trade reaching 31.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2014, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

"China has consolidated phytosanitary regulations and that's why we evaluate our ties with that country as very positive," said Contreras.

In that respect, he added, "Chile is uniquely positioned to meet phytosanitary conditions, because it is like an island: to the north, it has the Atacama Desert, to the west, the Pacific Ocean, to the east, the Andean Mountains, and to the south, the Antarctic."

In addition, regular contacts between the two countries' relevant ministries and sanitary agencies also made bilateral trade easier, said Contreras.

The trade in dairy cattle is good for Chile, said Contreras, as it spurs the Chilean cattle industry and represents another alternative to Chile's traditional trade with China.

The free trade agreement signed between Chile and China in 2005 has benefited the export of Chilean farm products, marked a milestone in bilateral ties, and served to expand bilateral relations, Contreras said.

In 2014, about 91 percent of Chilean exports to China were five products: copper, cellulose, iron, chemicals and fish meal.

While the Chilean government welcomes the rise in its exports, it also strives to diversify the exports via promoting its agricultural production.

Last year, China approved an electronic certification system that allows an easier approval process for Chilean pork exports to China, making it the first country in the Americas and the fourth worldwide to be recognized by the system.

Today, China is the third-largest market for Chilean foods and beverages, after the United States and Japan. But it still remains a challenge to prevent the fresh food from undergoing deterioration from Chile to the farthest end of the world, which demands more investment. Endi