SANTIAGO, Nov. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to Chile on Nov. 18-22 at the invitation of Chilean President Ricardo Lagos Escobar.

    During his stay in Chile, President Hu will also attend the 12th Economic Leaders' Meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which will be held in Santiago, capital of Chile.

    Following are key events in relations between China and Chile.

    Dec. 15, 1970 -- Chile becomes the first South American countryto establish diplomatic relations with China.

    May 1990 -- Chinese President Yang Shangkun pays a state visit to Chile. Both sides sign a memorandum on plant quarantine cooperation.

    Nov. 13-17, 1992 -- Chilean President Patricio Aylwin Azocar pays a state visit to China. He is the first Chilean head of stateto visit China.

    November 1995 -- Chilean President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle paysa state visit to China.

    November 1996 -- Chinese Premier Li Peng visits Chile. Li is the first Chinese premier to visit Chile.

    Feb. 20, 2001 -- A Chilean Foreign Ministry report says Chileanexport to China reaches 907 million US dollars in 2000. China becomes the fifth largest importing country of Chile.

    April 5-7, 2001 -- Chinese President Jiang Zemin pays a state visit to Chile. Both sides sign agreements on agricultural, cultural and seismological cooperation.

    April 2001 -- Chilean Senate President Andres Zaldivar Larrain visits China.

    Oct. 22-24, 2001 -- Chilean President Ricardo Lagos Escobar pays a state visit to China. Both sides sign agreements on cooperation in plant quarantine and agricultural technology.

    Jan.- May, 2002 -- Bilateral trade grows by 29.1 percent over the same period last year. Enditem