Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast held talks with China's ambassador to Santiago, Niu Qingbao, at the La Moneda Palace on Friday, marking a swift diplomatic pivot toward Beijing.
The meeting, which lasted more than an hour, occurred just one day after the United States imposed new forced-labour tariffs on a broad list of economies, including Chile's key trading partners.
5% duty on imports from Brazil and China, citing alleged failures to address forced labour.
The encounter underscores a growing rift between Santiago and Washington.
Kast, who campaigned on aligning Chile more closely with the US administration, is now facing pressure from his own party, which argues that the US cannot be trusted as a reliable trade partner following the latest tariff measures.
The diplomatic shift comes as Chile seeks to diversify its economic alliances amid escalating trade tensions.
The US tariffs, which target 60 economies, include a 12.5% duty on imports from Brazil and China, citing alleged failures to address forced labour.