Webinar Series On Global Expansion Successfully Held-- Session 4: Chile

1 April, 2026

 

Amid a rapidly evolving global economic landscape, global expansion has become a key driver of high-quality growth for enterprises. To support businesses in seizing overseas opportunities, SW hosted the fourth session of its webinar series on March 26, 2026, focusing on Chile. The webinar featured expert insights and practical guidance from SW Chile and AE Chile.

The webinar opened with a welcome address by Mr. Tan Xiaoqing, Chief Partner of SW China, who highlighted Chile’s strong appeal as one of China’s key partners in Latin America. With a stable economy, transparent business environment, and robust legal framework, Chile offers significant investment opportunities across mining, clean energy, the digital economy, infrastructure, and agri-tech. Supported by long-standing bilateral ties, these strengths provide a high degree of stability for enterprises expanding overseas. Mr. Tan noted that the webinar aimed to address key challenges in legal, tax, investment protection, and compliance, and to support companies in developing sound and effective investment strategies.

This seminar brought together authoritative experts in supporting enterprises going global:

Mauricio Benítez: International Partner at SW Chile, with over 15 years of international consulting experience, specializing in the financial industry and cross-border tax legal affairs.

Rodrigo Benítez: Managing Partner of SW Chile, with 21 years of professional experience in tax and deep involvement in the application of international tax standards.

Margarita González: Lawyer at SW Chile, with over 15 years of professional experience, proficient in tax litigation and audit defense.

Arturo Bull: Executive President of the Asociación de Auditores Externos de Chile (AE Chile), with over 35 years of experience in auditing, corporate governance, and regulatory affairs.

Mauricio Benítez, International Partner of SW Chile, highlighted Chile’s strong investment advantages, underpinned by its extensive network of free trade agreements and double taxation treaties, as well as its membership in APEC and the OECD. With a stable and open economy, Chile has become China’s largest trading partner in Latin America, accounting for nearly 40% of its trade, while Chinese direct investment remains minimal at just 0.4%, indicating substantial growth potential. Positioned as a gateway to the broader Latin American market, Chile offers diverse opportunities across key sectors, including mining and new energy, renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture and food exports, as well as finance and technology.

Rodrigo Benítez, Managing Partner of SW Chile, outlined the advantages of the China-Chile Double Taxation Agreement, in effect for 10 years, which offers reduced tax rates on dividends (8%), interest (as low as 4% from Chinese banks), royalties (up to 10%), and potential exemptions for technical service fees. 

He advised that enterprises can optimize their regional investments by establishing holding companies in Chile, leveraging the country’s tax treaties, and structuring multiple entities across distribution, production, logistics, and property to streamline tax planning and mitigate risk.

Margarita González, Lawyer of SW Chile, emphasized that working in Chile requires careful legal planning from the start, including obtaining the correct visa or residency status. Temporary residence permits, typically valid for two years, are common, and proper work authorization and contract structuring are essential to avoid delays or compliance issues.

Arturo Platt, Executive President of AE Chile, pointed out Chile’s transparent business environment, where listed companies follow IFRS and international auditing standards, supported by strong governance and strict regulation, ensuring high-quality financial reporting.

During the Q&A session, experts addressed questions from the audience on key topics, including labour and policy environment, as well as the business and compliance landscape.

They noted that Chile maintains an open approach to foreign investment, with no current plans to introduce a general investment review mechanism, ensuring a high degree of policy stability. The market is open and efficiently regulated, with foreign investment typically requiring only post-filing and benefiting from transparent and streamlined procedures. The tax system is clear, the foreign exchange market is liberalised, and RMB settlement is convenient. Chile also offers a highly transparent legal framework, where contracts are generally respected and enforced, contributing to a strong and reliable business environment.

The session concluded with closing remarks from the moderator, Ms. Xingyi He of SW Chile who noted that China–Chile relations are at a historic high, providing a strong foundation for deeper cooperation. She added that combining Chile’s resource strengths with China’s efficiency and technological capabilities positions businesses to unlock significant growth opportunities across the region.

Seize the opportunity, Shape the future together

As an internationally influential professional services organization, SW is committed to supporting enterprises at every step of their global expansion, combining a global perspective with deep local expertise. We will also continue to launch a series of seminars on key and emerging topics, providing practical market insights and professional support.

With the successful conclusion of the Chile seminar, we are entering a new phase in exploring the opportunities of the Latin American market. By seizing opportunities and developing a strong understanding of the local regulatory landscape, businesses can unlock sustainable, mutually beneficial growth in Chile.

To watch the recording of Session 4 of the Webinar Series on Global Expansion: Chile, please scan the QR code below:

1st Session: on Singapore

2nd Session: on Malaysia

3rd Session: on Indo

Deputy Director, Asia Pacific, SW International

Tel：+86-15000335511

Email：john.li@sw.international

Brand & Marketing Manager, SW International

Email：connie.ko@sw.international

International Partner, SW Chile

Email:mauricio.benitez@sw-chile.com

Kind Reminder: Subsequent seminars in this series will cover regions such as Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania. Please stay tuned for notifications. The content of the meeting is for reference only and does not constitute any investment or legal advice.