Over 70 Vietnamese and Chilean enterprises connect in the energy equipment and industrial electrical sector
WVR - On August 20 in Santiago, more than 70 enterprises, associations, and organizations from Vietnam and Chile participated in a trade promotion and investment seminar, connecting Vietnamese and Chilean businesses in the fields of energy equipment and industrial electrical machinery.
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| Delegates attending the Vietnam-Chile trade promotion, investment, and business connection seminar. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
The event, hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile, concluded with 27 pre-arranged business matchmaking sessions grouped by product category.
The program was co-organized by the Embassy, with participation from the Vietnam Association of Mechanical Industry (VAMI), the Chile-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, Asia Consulting, and Enlace Chile, in a hybrid format combining in-person and online participation.
The event coincided with the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (March 25, 1971 - March 25, 2026). Chile was the first South American country to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam and the first Latin American nation to sign a free trade agreement with Vietnam, effective since 2014. Both countries are founding members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Nguyen Viet Cuong stated that the political and emotional foundation between the two countries is solid, and the remaining task is to elevate economic cooperation to match this foundation.
Vietnam produces many devices that Chile needs for infrastructure, renewable energy, electricity transmission, and mining. The Ambassador highlighted a notable figure: bilateral trade in 2025 increased by over 40%, yet Vietnam's exports accounted for only about 2% of Chile's total imports, despite most tariffs being reduced to 0%.
Manuel Ubilla, President of the Chile-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the role of the business community in promoting bilateral cooperation.
Nguyen Thu Huong, Commercial Counselor and Head of the Trade Section at the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile, presented an overview of the market. Chile is boosting infrastructure investment, developing solar and wind power projects, electricity transmission and storage, while encouraging the use of electric vehicles and expanding the charging station network nationwide.
In 2025, Chile imported nearly USD 18 billion worth of machinery, equipment, and accessories, with Vietnamese electric motors (HS code 8501) accounting for nearly 17% and static converters (HS code 850440) making up 27.4% of Chile's imports in each respective category. These figures demonstrate the competitive capacity of Vietnamese goods in the Chilean market, despite the overall modest scale.
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| Vietnamese Ambassador to Chile Nguyen Viet Cuong speaking. (Source: Vietnamese Embassy in Chile) |
From Vietnam, 22 entities registered to participate, including 17 enterprises and 5 associations, research institutes, and promotion organizations such as VAMI, the National Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering (NARIME), the Institute for Digital Economic, Cultural, and Social Development (IDECS), the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center, and the Vietnam-Africa Economic Cooperation Alliance.
The enterprises were divided into three groups, including: Energy and renewable energy equipment with Huu Toan Group, Dong Anh Electrical Equipment Corporation, GG Power Group, Thinh Phat Cable; electrical, electronic, and automation equipment with 3Itech, Digisensor, DEKKO, Saigon Valve; machinery and mining with Lilama 69-3, Hon Gai Mechanical under Vinacomin, and Vietnam Steel Structures and Lifting Equipment.
On the Chilean side, about 50 enterprises and organizations registered to participate, including 16 units in the energy and renewable energy sector, 11 units in electrical, electronic, and automation equipment, 5 units in machinery and services for the mining industry, with the remainder being chambers of commerce and consulting, logistics companies.
VAMI introduced the capabilities of Vietnam's mechanical and electrical equipment industry. Enlace Chile presented criteria for supplier selection, technical certification requirements, and after-sales services demanded by Chilean businesses, which garnered significant interest from Vietnamese enterprises.
Subsequently, GG Power Group introduced solar energy batteries, energy storage systems, and electric vehicle charging stations; Dong Anh Electrical Equipment Corporation presented transformer and substation equipment solutions; IDECS analyzed how to leverage incentives from the Vietnam-Chile Free Trade Agreement (VCFTA) and CPTPP.
The final part of the program was dedicated to business matchmaking, following a Q&A session coordinated by the Trade Section of the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile and the Chile-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce. 27 pre-arranged meetings were based on a survey of both sides' needs, divided into three parallel working groups, two with Spanish interpreters and one working in English.
Each meeting lasted 10 minutes and proceeded continuously, bringing 11 Vietnamese enterprises to meet with 10 Chilean importers, distributors, and partners. Pre-identifying partners, product groups, and working languages allowed each meeting to focus directly on specific needs rather than stopping at general introductions.
The seminar's distinct feature lies in the post-event activities. The Trade Section of the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile and the Chile-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce maintain a close follow-up mechanism for each meeting, compiling cooperation requests and continuing to connect businesses.
The prospect is for initial agency and distribution agreements in the electrical equipment and energy storage group, along with participation in the supply chain for Chile's renewable energy and mining projects, gradually increasing market share in this market's nearly USD 18 billion annual machinery and equipment imports.
