Santiago de Chile, Nov 7 (EFE) .- The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, left a few hours ago to Vietnam, to make an official visit to that country and then participate in the Summit of Leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), to be held also in that Asian nation.

Government sources said today that the plane that moves to the Mandataria and his delegation will make a technical stop in Cape Town (South Africa) before arriving in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, on a flight of about 23 hours.

Wednesday Bachelet will begin an official visit to Vietnam and on Thursday will move to Da Nang, home of the APEC Summit.

The Vietnam tour seeks to deepen economic and political relations, in addition to share expectations and objectives about the APEC Summit, and includes a meeting with the president of that country, Tran Da Quang.

During the activity, explained the Chilean foreign minister, Heraldo Muñoz, several agreements will be signed "that will deepen the very good relationship that exists between Chile and Vietnam."

Muñoz highlighted that Vietnam has supported the entry of Chile into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), "which is an open possibility to very few countries outside the region."

Among the agreements, the foreign minister mentioned one to help the people affected by chemical weapons during the Vietnam War, another in political and economic matters and an attempt will be made to deepen the bilateral trade treaty In force.

The President of Chile will also meet with the Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuân Phúc, with the General Secretary of the Communist Party and the President of the Assembly. National.

Likewise, he will visit the mausoleum and the house of Ho Chi Mihn, founder of the country and Vietnamese national hero.

On November 10 and 11 Bachelet will participate in the Summit of Leaders of APEC, which will be present, among others, the US President Donald Trump, Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the leader of China, Xi Jinping.

The Chilean Foreign Minister said Regarding the summit, one of the issues to be discussed is the signing of a declaration for the eventual signing of a "Trans-Pacific Treaty 11" (TPP11), that is, a free trade agreement of Asia Pacific without the United States, due to the decision of the Trump government not to participate in it.

"This has advanced quite well, some components of that treaty to adjust it to the needs of the countries that would sign. said the head of Chilean diplomacy.

President Bachelet will also meet with the new Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, and Heraldo Muñoz himself will meet with its peers from Australia and South Korea, with the issue of TPP11 as center.

Another key aspect, according to the Chilean foreign minister, is the signing of the deepening of the Free Trade Agreement. between Chile and China.

"That is very important, because it allows us more access to the Chinese market and a better economic relationship, which is already excellent between both countries", he stressed.

Bachelet will also participate in a breakfast with women leaders of APEC and in the traditional retreat of the forum, in which the director of the International Monetary Fund will speak (IMF), Christine Lagarde.

Heraldo Muñoz also highlighted the possibility of some kind of meeting with Indonesia, to give an account of the progress in the negotiation of an FTA with that country. Country.