SANTIAGO, March 12 (Reuters) - Chile and the United States have signed a joint statement to begin discussions on critical minerals and rare earths, Chile's foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The first meeting will take place within the next two weeks, it added.

The Trump administration has been pushing to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals and rare earths, which are used in electric vehicles, semiconductors, defense systems and consumer electronics.

Chile is the world's largest copper producer and second-largest lithium producer.

"I believe there is much we can do with the United States and Chile to strengthen the supply chains of these minerals," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau told journalists in Chile, where right-wing Jose Antonio Kast was sworn in as president on Wednesday.

"We will discuss how we can work together," Landau added.