Chile is actively strengthening its trade relationship with Southeast Asia by leveraging the Indonesia–Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IC-CEPA) to boost exports to Indonesia and the ASEAN region. According to ProChile’s Director General Ignacio Fernández, ASEAN's food imports reached USD 4 billion last year, yet Chile’s share remains below 1%, indicating immense potential for growth. Chilean exporters are focusing on key products such as fruits, meats, dairy, wine, and lemons—all of which have gained export access—to tap into this largely untapped market. Their strategy is further supported by Chile’s extensive network of free trade agreements (FTAs), covering roughly 80% of the global GDP, and by positioning Chile not only as a domestic market of 20 million but also as a gateway to serve 600 million consumers across Latin America.
Since IC-CEPA took effect in 2019, bilateral trade between Chile and Indonesia has grown at an average annual rate of around 10%. Chile is now looking to expand the agreement’s scope to include areas such as foreign direct investment (FDI), services, and critical minerals like copper and lithium, and to incorporate the use of artificial intelligence in its mining sector. This expansion complements the existing food-oriented trade focus and aligns with broader modernisation and strategic goals, potentially unlocking new dimensions of economic cooperation between the two nations.
