BEIJING, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- China and Chile celebrated the 40th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties at a reception here Wednesday.

Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong and visiting Chilean president Sebastian Pinera attended the reception, which was held by Chilean Embassy.

China was ready to take the opportunity of this anniversary to push forward Sino-Chilean relations, Liu said when addressing the reception.

Noting Chile was the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic ties with China, Liu said the Chinese government attached great importance to developing the bilateral ties from strategic perspective.

Pinera, on his first China visit since taking office as Chilean president in March, expressed the willingness to expand cooperation and friendship with China, and he hailed the progress made in bilateral cooperation since the two countries forged ties in 1970.

Chile is China's second biggest trade partner in Latin America and China is Chile's biggest trade partner. Bilateral trade last year rose 2.1 percent to 17.72 billion dollars.

China and Chile forged a comprehensive cooperative partnership in 2004.