Ex-undersecretary: Chile must remain economically unaligned with US or China

Chile must maintain economic neutrality, refusing to align with either the United States or China, according to former Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Claudia Sanhueza. This stance is crucial amid the ongoing trade war between the two global superpowers.

Sanhueza pointed to the impact of U.S. tariffs, explaining that levies of 10% or 12.5% are not specific to Chile but represent a broader U.S. policy affecting various economies. She spoke during a discussion about a meeting between U.S. representative Jeffrey Goettman and Chile's Undersecretariat for International Economic Relations, concerning trade negotiations with the Trump administration over tariff impositions.

“

These tariffs of 12.5% or 10% that existed last year are tariffs that are not exclusive to Chile. They are a policy of the United States against the world and affect the economies that import some product to the United States.

Despite the call for neutrality, Sanhueza acknowledged Chile's existing economic ties with the U.S., noting that their Free Trade Agreement liberalizes trade for 11,000 products. This underscores the delicate balance Chile must strike between asserting its economic independence and managing its established trade relationships.

“

a Free Trade Agreement with the United States that has liberalized 11 thousand products