Kast is applying the same approach both domestically and abroad: economic recovery and security

José Antonio Kast took office as Chile’s president on March 11, after defeating the traditional right in the first round of the presidential election and the left in the second. His domestic priorities are economic recovery and public order, and Kast has structured his foreign policy around these same issues so that Chile’s international actions reinforce its domestic objectives. Both objectives—strengthening trade relations and security frameworks—call for pragmatic, non-ideological alliances, according to the new Chilean government, which requires a certain balance between political alignment with the Trump administration and the country’s significant trade relationship with China.

With José Antonio Kast as president and foreign policy entrusted to Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna, Chile aims to reposition itself as a magnet for Western capital and a key player in hemispheric security, distancing itself from the more ideologically driven regional integration projects that characterized Gabriel Boric’s term. Boric came to power in 2021 as the embodiment of the hopes for change sparked by the social uprising, projecting a foreign policy heavily focused on global human rights and environmentalism. The failure of the constitutional processes and the growing perception of insecurity weighed down Boric’s leadership, allowing proposal —centered on order and the opening of markets—to be seen by foreign partners as a promise of a return to the institutional stability that historically characterized Chile.

In the context of the skill major global powers, the Kast administration is introducing a dynamic of strategic balance that recognizes the importance of both global poles. Chile has demonstrated a direct rapprochement with the United States on matters of security and critical resources, as evidenced by the signature a joint declaration to establish bilateral consultations on strategic resources, specifically lithium and rare earth elements. Furthermore, Kast’s participation in initiatives such as the “Shield of the Americas” alongside figures close to the U.S. administration confirms this alignment on national security.

However, strengthening ties with Washington does not necessarily mean distancing oneself from Beijing. Kast has been emphatic that Chile must nurture trade relations with all countries, recognizing that China is an partner for the export of copper and agro-industrial products. The strategy consists of separating national security from commercial interests. While critical infrastructure and strategic minerals are managed under Western standards, trade in goods with Asia continues to expand. This duality forces the U.S. and China to compete for Chile’s trust through economic and technological incentives, preventing the country from becoming trapped in a logic of geopolitical exclusivity. China, for its part, appears willing to tolerate political alignment with the U.S. as long as exchange is not hindered by ideological barriers.

This same logic of separating security from trade is clearly evident in the discussion undersea fiber-optic cables. Among his first decisions as president, Kast put on hold the fiber-optic project that would have connected Valparaíso directly to Hong Kong—a project awarded to China Mobile International in the final weeks of the Boric administration—prompting strong pressure from the United States. Instead, the Chilean government has prioritized the Humboldt cable, already well underway, which covers the route to Australia. Kast has left the door open for a final decision final the Chinese cable depending on how well Humboldt meets the country’s needs, although the U.S. ambassador in Santiago has already interpreted advertisement the definitive end of project. Communications infrastructure thus remains under Western standards, while trade flows with Beijing continue uninterrupted.

For neighboring countries, Chile’s new doctrine of “non-intervention and secure borders” is changing the management regional crises, particularly with regard to migration. By implementing a plan for border militarization and strict immigration controls, Chile is no longer functioning as an open destination country, creating a “funnel effect” for transit nations such as Peru and Bolivia. Lima and La Paz are forced to manage within their own territories the masses of migrants who previously flowed southward, which could strain diplomatic relations if effective cross-border cooperation mechanisms are not established.

However, on the economic front, Kast proposes a pragmatic approach to integration. There is a real possibility of moving toward the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Bolivia, a milestone that has been stalled for decades. For Chile, the interest is not territorial but commercial: access to resources and border stability. With Peru, the relationship remains anchored in tourism and trade integration, where Chile seeks for both countries to function as a joint logistics platform toward the Pacific, setting aside historical disputes to focus on port efficiency and exchange .

In addition, one of the most notable developments in regional geopolitics was marked by Kast’s first international trip, which took him to Buenos Aires for a work meeting work President Javier Milei. The rapport between Kast and Milei signals an alliance that seeks to shift the regional power axis toward the Atlantic and the South Pacific, promoting an diary economic freedom, deregulation, and a joint fight against organized crime. For Argentina, Kast’s arrival means having a strategic ally who validates its model openness and reinforces pressure on Mercosur to make its Structures more flexible. Together, Chile and Argentina could act as a counterweight to the region’s more statist economies, such as Brazil or Colombia.

At the regional level, Kast’s Chile seeks to dismantle the ideological baggage of blocs; in the case of the Pacific Alliance, which has been relatively paralyzed since Morena and the Historic Pact came to power in Mexico and Colombia, respectively, Kast aims refund association the technical role that initially proved successful. Chile wants to be the partner predictable partner for foreign investment in the Southern Cone and, by prioritizing free trade agreements and market liberalization, force its neighbors to choose between pragmatic economic cooperation or estrangement due to political leanings.

Since taking position, Kast has made it clear that Chile’s foreign policy will be an extension of his domestic priorities: economic recovery and public order. By positioning Chile as a provider of critical minerals to the West (especially copper and lithium), a core topic ideological ally core topic Argentina, and an open market for the East, the country seeks to shield itself from global uncertainty. Its message to the outside world is that of a partner to global business, yet unyielding in controlling its borders and defending its internal security.