Bruno Hernandez Highlights Growth in Chile-China Partnership at Chile Pacific Foundation Webinar

Bruno Hernandez, Senior Associate, International Business Advisory at Dezan Shira & Associates and member of our Spanish Desk, recently spoke at a webinar by the Chile Pacific Foundation. The event, titled “Opportunities and New Frontiers for Trade and Investment between Chile and China” (Oportunidades y Nuevos Frentes para el Comercio e Inversiones entre Chile y China) focused on exploring investment opportunities for Chilean businesses in China.

The Chile Pacific Foundation is Chile’s only public-private organization dedicated to fostering synergies that support policies aimed at strengthening the country’s engagement with the Asia-Pacific region. It also serves as the APEC Secretariat for Chile.

This webinar, part of their Export Series (Serie Exportadores), illustrates one of the successful cooperative endeavors with the Foundation as partners, and was moderated by the organization’s Executive Director, Loreto Leyton. It featured insightful contributions from Natalia Cortés, Head of the Asia and Oceania Division at ProChile and former Director of the Chilean Commercial Office in China, and Francisco Silva, President of the Chile-China Business Council at SOFOFA.

During the Spanish-language webinar, Bruno began his presentation with a brief overview of Chile-China bilateral trade, emphasizing the strong performance of Chilean exports to China despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. He then highlighted the food and beverage sector as a key example of the Chile-China partnership before shifting to an analysis of China’s consumer market, its trends, and the influence of e-commerce, social media, and live streaming.

Bruno wrapped up by discussing China’s current landscape, emphasizing its transition toward emerging industrial opportunities in high technology and green initiatives. He addressed the local regulatory environment, including the new company law and the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL).

To effectively navigate the changes and challenges in the current Chinese market—such as oversaturation and the shift toward domestic brands instead of relying solely on imports—Bruno underscored the importance of managing expectations, stating, “When entering the Chinese market, or even if you are already established here, it’s crucial to recognize that expectations have changed quite rapidly.”

During the Q&A, the issue of China’s evolving market and saturation was revisited. Among other observations, Bruno recommended focusing on tier 2 or tier 3 cities instead of just tier 1 hubs, citing specific successful examples of this strategy.

Further Resources

You can find Bruno’s article “China-América Latina y el Caribe: inversión, comercio y perspectivas futuras” in our Spanish section on China Briefing. Additionally, you can also read our other briefings India Briefing, Vietnam Briefing, and ASEAN Briefing. Be sure to check out our latest Spanish publication, Navegando la Nueva Ley de Sociedades de China: Guía para inversores extranjeros, available for download.

Dezan Shira & Associates’ Spanish Desk.

Our Spanish Desk provides dedicated support and guidance to Spanish and Latin American companies looking to expand their operations in Asia. With 30 years of experience, knowledge, and integrated services, we are well-equipped to be your partner for growth in the region.

---