Chile: Trade Partnerships

Chile's economy has long depended on international trade, and the country ranks among the most open in Latin America. Following the return to democratic government in 1990, successive administrations pursued an aggressive strategy of trade liberalization, negotiating agreements to secure access to foreign markets for copper, agricultural products, wine, and seafood. This outward-looking approach helped diversify an economy historically centered on mineral extraction, and trade now accounts for a substantial share of national output.

As of 2025, China remained Chile's largest trading partner, accounting for roughly a third of total trade value, driven largely by copper shipments to Chinese manufacturers. The United States ranked second, followed by Brazil, Japan, and Argentina; combined, China and the United States represented close to half of Chile's total trade that year. Chilean trade officials have also highlighted a diversification trend, with commerce with India, South Korea, and Canada expanding at a faster rate than trade with its two largest partners, part of a longstanding effort to reduce dependence on any single market.

Chile maintains one of the most extensive trade agreement networks of any country, with dozens of economic and commercial accords covering the large majority of global economic output. These include free trade agreements with the United States and China, participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, an association agreement with the European Union, and associate membership in the Southern Common Market (Mercosur). Chile also belongs to the World Trade Organization, the Latin American Integration Association, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.