Australia–Chile relations

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Australia-Chile relations
Map indicating locations of Australia and Chile

Australia
Chile

Australia and Chile enjoy friendly relations, the importance of which centers on the history of Chilean immigration to Australia. In 2016, over 26,000 Chilean-born people lived in Australia.[1] The two nations are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Cairns Group and the OECD. Chile is geographically the closest country in the Americas to Australia, and both administer several islands in the South Pacific.

History[]

As early as the nineteenth century, Australia and Chile had informal relations as Australia was still part of the British Empire. The first known Chilean to arrive in Australia was former president and political exile, General Ramón Freire, who arrived in 1838.[1] Australia's third Prime Minister, Chris Watson was born in Valparaíso, Chile in 1867 and emigrated to Australia.[1]

In 1899, Chile opened a consular office in Newcastle, New South Wales.[1] Official diplomatic relations were established on 27 December 1945 and Chile upgraded its consular office to a diplomatic legation.[2] In 1946, Australia opened a diplomatic legation in Santiago. In 1968, Australia upgraded its diplomatic legation to an embassy in Chile. The move was reciprocated when Chile upgraded its diplomatic legation to an embassy in 1969.[1]

In the early twentieth century, Chileans began immigrating to Australia with the 1901 census showing 90 Chilean nations in the country. Migration to Australia would increase in the 1970s after the 1973 Chilean coup d'état when several thousand Chileans left the country escaping political persecution.[1] In December 1989, Chile returned to democracy. In 1993, President Patricio Aylwin became the first Chilean head of state to pay an official visit to Australia.[3] In 2004, Prime Minister John Howard became the first Australian head of government to visit Chile and to attend the APEC Summit.

Both nations consider each other to be "like-minded" in multilateral forums.[2] In 2015, Australia and Chile marked the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations.[1]

High-level visits[]

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard with Chilean President Sebastián Piñera meeting during the APEC summit in Yokohama, Japan; November 2010.

High-level visits from Australia to Chile[1]

Presidential visits from Chile to Australia[1]

Bilateral Agreements[]

Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements, such as an Extradition Treaty (1996); Agreement on Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments (1999); Agreement on Social Security (2004); Agreement on a work and holiday visa program (2005) and an Agreement on the avoidance of Double-Taxation (2013).[1][4]

Transportation[]

There are direct flights between Australia and Chile with the following airlines: LATAM Chile (notably with Sydney-Santiago and Melbourne-Santiago routes) and Qantas (with the Sydney-Santiago route operational).

Trade[]

In 2016, two-way trade between Australia and Chile totaled $1.4 billion AUS.[1] Australia's main exports to Chile include: Coal, measuring and analysing instruments, specialized machinery and parts, and civil engineering equipment and parts. Chile's main exports to Australia include: copper, fruits, wood, and ores and concentrates.[5] In 2017, Australia launched Free Trade negotiations with Chile. Chile is Australia's third-largest trading partner in Latin America. Australia is the sixth largest foreign investor in Chile, with investments totaling over $6.34 billion AUS.[1]

Resident diplomatic missions[]

  • Embassy of Australia in Santiago

  • Embassy of Chile in Canberra

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l DFAT: Chile Country Brief
  2. ^ a b Relaciones Bilaterales entre Chile y Australia (in Spanish)
  3. ^ Speech at luncheon in Honour of his Excellency, Mr. Patricio Aylwin, President of the Republic of Chile, Parliament House-Canberra
  4. ^ Acuerdos y tratados Bilaterales entre Chile y Australia (in Spanish)
  5. ^ Trade between Australia and Chile
  6. ^ Embassy of Australia in Santiago
  7. ^ Embassy of Chile in Canberra
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