Chilean president arrives in Beijing for 4th ministerial meeting of China-CELAC Forum

Chilean President Gabriel Boric arrived in Beijing on Monday evening for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, which is set to open on Tuesday.

Chile established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1970. It was the first South American country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China and also the first Latin American country to sign a bilateral agreement with the country on China's accession to the World Trade Organization and the first to recognize China's full market economy status.

Last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Boric on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima.

Speaking at that meeting, Xi noted that China is ready to work with Chile to take the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, share development opportunities, and promote new and greater development in the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides.

Also speaking at that meeting, Boric expressed Chile's welcome for more Chinese enterprises to carry out cooperation with Chile in areas such as production capacity and infrastructure, and Chile's willingness to provide a favorable business environment for Chinese companies. Chile looks forward to close communication with China within multilateral frameworks, jointly opposing protectionism, and safeguarding global free trade as well as safe and smooth industrial and supply chains, he said.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil issued a statement on Saturday, saying that the security alert released by the U.S. Department of State regarding Venezuela is based on false claims that do not exist and is intended to create a perception of risk that is not real.

According to the statement posted on Gil's official X account, Venezuela is currently in a state of absolute calm, peace and stability.

All residential areas, transportation routes, checkpoints and security facilities in the country are functioning normally, and all armed forces nationwide are under the government's control.

The statement came after the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs on Saturday warned that as international flights have resumed, U.S. citizens in Venezuela "should leave the country immediately."