SANTIAGO -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Saturday called for strengthening bilateral cooperation between Chile and China.

He made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi here at the presidential palace.

Pinera asked Wang to convey his sincere regards to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Chile has always attached great importance to the relationship between Chile and China. The bilateral ties have been undergoing a stable and healthy development for nearly 50 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations, said Pinera.

Chile is willing to further strengthen cooperation with China. The country welcomes more investment from China, and more Chinese companies to take part in Chile's economic development, including tenders for the 5G network, he added.

Chile firmly upholds multilateralism and free trade, opposes all forms of protectionism, and expects China and the United States to resolve trade frictions through dialogue and consultations.

Chile appreciates China's support for Chile to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in November, he noted.

For his part, Wang conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings to Pinera.

He noted that in April, Pinera successfully paid a state visit to China and attended the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which effectively promoted the development of China-Chile relations.

The main aim of his visit is to promote the implementation of the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, making political preparations for high-level exchanges between the two countries, Wang added.

China is willing to take the upgrading of the China-Chile Free Trade Agreement as an opportunity to further upgrade the quality and level of bilateral trade and investment, he said.

China appreciates Chile's opening-up policies, and will encourage Chinese companies to take part in the country's 5G and infrastructure project construction and to foster technological innovation and the digital economy as new growth points of China-Chile cooperation, said Wang.

China will strongly support Chile in making the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting a success, sending a positive message of safeguarding the multilateral trading system and supporting free trade.

Wang also held talks with Chilean Foreign Minister Teodoro Ribera on Sunday.