WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump met with his Chilean counterpart Sebastian Pinera here on Friday, with the two sides seeking closer cooperation on energy and other areas, said the White House.

Trump and Pinera held their first official meeting on Friday afternoon at the White House, during which they discussed bilateral trade, infrastructure investment and other issues, said the White House in a statement.

The statement revealed that senior officials from the two countries on Thursday signed a framework to advance energy sector cooperation, promote investment in infrastructure and strengthen energy security.

The two sides will also seek ways to increase cooperation on science, technology and innovation, the statement added.

The two leaders also discussed the current situation in Venezuela, according to the statement.

Addressing the U.S. Congress earlier on the day, Pinera said that the military option "is not a good option" for Venezuela.

Several U.S. media outlets reported earlier this month that the Trump administration has talked secretly with rebellious Venezuelan military officers several times to discuss their plans to stage a coup in the South American country.

Trump said in August of last year that he would not rule out a "military option" in Venezuela "if necessary," despite his aides' opposition.