Chen Xiaochun

654789759@qq.com

THIS year, Chile has created different visa categories for those who want to study, work, live or invest in Chile, Carlos Javier Marin, consul general of Chile in Guangzhou, said Wednesday.

Marin made the remarks at the 2018 Global Leadership Business Forum, the foundation ceremony of the Chinese Alliance International Federation, and the fifth anniversary of the Ninety-nine Chamber of Commerce held at Sheraton Shenzhen Futian Hotel.

“I will put my focus on the Visas of Opportunity for Entrepreneurs. This visa is for entrepreneurs and persons who wish to go to Chile to live, to start a business or to invest. The visa can be obtained through a rating system which is based on education, age, language, investment and the specific region in the country where the investment is going to take place,” explained Marin.

Applicants for the Visas of Opportunity for Entrepreneurs should present a business plan indicating the region where they want to invest and prove their mastery of the Spanish language.

“If they invest in less-developed regions, they will receive more points,” Marin told the Shenzhen Daily.

At the same time, the minimum investment amount is US$100,000. “For this initial stage, which ends on Nov. 30 this year, we will issue a maximum of 1,000 Visas of Opportunity for Entrepreneurs. Expats who failed to obtain the visa this time will be automatically added to the next round of applications,” explained Marin.

The People’s Republic of China and Chile are the two countries that are the farthest away from each other on this planet, Marin said. “However, this distance hasn’t stopped the two countries from building a rich and close relation with each other. Since 1970, the relation between the two sides has been developed and strengthened,” he said.

According to Marin, China is now Chile’s biggest trading partner. China accounts for 25 percent of the total exports from Chile, with the value of exports exceeding US$18 billion and the bilateral trade volume reaching US$34.92 billion in 2017. “We have the aspiration of doubling bilateral commerce over the next decade,” he said.

The event was organized by China Com Group and supported by different institutes, including the World Organization of Governance & Competitiveness for the UNSDGS, the Consulate General of Chile in Guangzhou and the Guangdong Province Federation of Industry Association, gathering around 600 representatives from businesses, trade associations, and financial institutions.