China's ambassador addresses Chile's sovereignty and bilateral ties

Chinese Ambassador to Chile, Niu Qingbao, has addressed Chile's potential participation in the Escudo de las Américas, a U.S.-led initiative. During a ceremony commemorating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the ambassador stated that Chile possesses full sovereignty to join any international institution or platform it deems appropriate to serve its national interests.

While expressing respect for Chile's foreign policy decisions, Qingbao cautioned that the bilateral relationship between China and Chile should not be subject to the influence of third parties. He emphasized that China has never required Chile to align with specific ideological blocs or take sides in international disputes.

The ambassador also discussed the China-Chile Express, a proposed subsea cable project intended to connect Chile with Asia. Describing the initiative as a commercial and transparent project that has been under discussion for a decade, Qingbao asserted that it poses no threat to Chilean national security or data privacy. He expressed hope that Chile would resist foreign pressure to move forward with the project, noting its potential benefits for both nations.