In 2012, the Chile economy operated steady. The popularity of President Sebastián Piera declined continuously due to the government's failure to tackle the country's problems effectively. The ruling alliance suffered great setback in municipal elections at the end of October, which add uncertainty to 2013 general election. Two main alliances of left and right wings are actively looking out for charismatic candidates with extensive mass foundations. With regard to the economy, Chilean macro-economy continued to maintain a good momentum of development. In terms of the society, local protests highlighted the imbalance of the regional development. On the diplomatic front, Sino-Chile relations stepped up to a new level. <<