President Xi invites Chile's Boric to China in 2023

Chinese President Xi Jinping gestures after the 29th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) during the APEC 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand, 18 November 2022. Thailand hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC 2022, the summit for economic cooperation comprising 21 leading member economies to promote free trade in the Asia-Pacific region. Rungroj Yongrit/Pool via REUTERS

China's President Xi Jinping has invited Chilean leader Gabriel Boric to visit the country next year, following the bilateral meeting the two held on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Thailand on Friday, the Chilean government said.

China is the South American country's main trading partner.

"The bilateral relationship was discussed with the Chinese president and (he) invited President Boric to conduct an official visit next year," Chilean Foreign Minister Antonia Urrejola said from the Thai capital.

Chile's President Gabriel Boric arrives to attend the APEC Leaders' Dialogue with APEC Business Advisory Council event during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok on November 18, 2022. Lillian Suwanrumpha/Pool via REUTERS

During Friday's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Boric also met with the Prime Minister of Australia and the President of Vietnam, with whom he discussed the CPTPP trans-Pacific trade agreement to which the three countries all belong.

Chile is the largest global exporter of copper.

(Reporting by Natalia Ramos; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)