SANTIAGO - China's President Xi Jinping has invited Chilean leader Gabriel Boric to visit the country next year, following the bilateral meeting the two held on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Thailand on Friday, the Chilean government said.

China is the South American country's main trading partner.

"The bilateral relationship was discussed with the Chinese president and (he) invited President Boric to conduct an official visit next year," Chilean Foreign Minister Antonia Urrejola said from the Thai capital.

During Friday's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Boric also met with the Prime Minister of Australia and the President of Vietnam, with whom he discussed the CPTPP trans-Pacific trade agreement to which the three countries all belong.

Chile is the largest global exporter of copper.

(Reporting by Natalia Ramos Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)