On April 13, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Jeria in Sanya, a scenic city on south China's island province of Hainan. The two heads of state agreed to take further measures to strengthen cooperation and promote all-round cooperative partnership to new heights.

Hu pointed out that China and Chile are good friends and partners and their relations have maintained a sound momentum of development with expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas and close communication and coordination in international affairs. He added that cementing the Sino-Chilean relations meets the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples and helps deepen the mutual benefit and cooperation between Asia and Latin America. China has always been considering and handling the Sino-Chilean relations from a strategic height, Hu said, expressing willingness to work with Chile to push forward bilateral ties. Hu made a four-point proposal to enhance bilateral ties. First, maintain high-level exchanges and strengthen dialogue and consultations. Hu called on both countries to strengthen political trust and lead and push forward bilateral ties. He urged the government agencies of the two countries to work out plans on cooperation and the legislatures to make full use of the mechanism of political dialogue committee to exchange views in a timely manner and expand consensus. Second, tap complementary advantages and achieve win-win results. He hoped the two countries would take the opportunity of signing a supplementary agreement of China-Chilean Free Trade Agreement on service trade, to open wider the service market and to diversify trade mix. China was willing to offer convenience for the cooperation between the two countries' enterprises to promote mutual investment, Hu said, adding his country supported both nations' quality-quarantine departments to enhance cooperation and set up a long-term cooperation mechanism in a bid to create favorable conditions for trade of advantageous agricultural products. Third, expand humanities exchanges and build mutual understanding. He called on both sides to step up cooperation on culture, education, sports, public health, science and technology, tourism, judicature, social security, poverty relief and environmental protection and support exchanges between localities, provinces and municipalities, non-governmental organizations and academic circles of the two countries, so as to build up mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. Fourth, enhance multilateral cooperation and promote common development. Hu called for cementing coordination on major issues such as UN reform, Doha Round negotiations, global climate change and sustainable development to jointly safeguard just rights of developing nations and push the international order towards a more fair and reasonable direction.

Applauding Hu's proposals, Bachelet said Chile had always been committed to developing relations with China since the establishment of diplomatic ties 38 years ago. Chile was the first among Latin American countries to cooperate with China in many areas, and was confident about future bilateral ties. Chile hoped to cooperate with China to inject more vitality into bilateral ties and deepen exchanges and cooperation in politics, trade, investment, agriculture, Antarctic scientific exploration, education and culture. Both sides should also enhance coordination on international issues such as international institutional reform and climate change, she said. Bachelet added her country was ready to play a positive role in promoting China's relations with Latin American countries.

Bachelet appreciated China's great achievement in its reform and opening-up in the past 30 years under the leadership of the CPC, which, he said, is of great significance to China and the world at large. Both Chile and China are striving to promote economic growth through reform and are committed to realizing social harmony and unity, she said. Hu said Chile was the first among Latin American countries to fulfill UN's Millennium Development Goals in poverty alleviation, for which Hu extended congratulations.

Bachelet extended best wishes for a complete success of the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games. Hu expressed appreciation for Chile's adherence to the one-China policy and its precious support for China on Taiwan and Tibet questions.

After their talks, the two leaders attended a signing ceremony of eight cooperative agreements between the two countries concerning trade, culture, quarantine and other areas.

Prior to the talks, Hu Jintao held a grand welcoming ceremony for Bachelet.

Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee (CPCCC) & Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Ling Jihua, Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee (CPCCC) & Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee Wang Huning, State Councilor Dai Bingguo and other officials attended the above-mentioned activities.