Dilma receives China's highest honor for foreigners from President Xi Jinping; video

Dilma receives the Friendship Medal, China's highest honor, on the 75th anniversary of the People's Republic

President highlighted benefits of Belt and Road, said NDB should expand and focus more on environment

By Mauro Ramos, in Fato's Brazil | Beijing (China)

The President of the New Development Bank (NBD), Dilma Rousseff, received this Sunday morning (29) in the Chinese capital, Beijing, the Friendship Medal, the highest distinction awarded by the Chinese state.

Dilma is the second Latin American to receive this medal, after former Cuban President Ral Castro.

The medal was established in 2016 and awarded to those who make outstanding contributions to China's socialist modernization by promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries.

Dilma was the 12th foreign person to receive this honor. The first such medal was awarded to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018.

Dilma spoke during the medal ceremony, at the Grand Salo do Povo, the building used for the sessions of the National People's Assembly, the reception of presidents, among other ceremonies and activities.

She praised the Chinese government and President Xi Jinping, whom she called “a true champion of international cooperation and a strong supporter of multilateralism”, for his governance and contributions to global development.

“China's commitment to reform and opening-up has not only lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, but also contributed significantly to global economic growth and stability,” he said. the president said during an audience attended by several of China's top military leaders. staff, students and representatives from different fields.

In his closing speech at the ceremony, Xi Jinping paid tribute to the Brazilian president.

“Over the past 75 years, there have been many old and good friends in the world who share the same aspirations and stand with the Chinese people through thick and thin; Ms. Among them, Dilma Rousseff (…) is a notable representative.”

“The Chinese people will never forget these international friends who have made extraordinary contributions to China's development and the friendship between the Chinese people and the people of other countries,” the Chinese leader concluded.

In this series of honors, the president was the only foreigner honored. Four people received the Medal of the Republic and ten others received national honorary titles.

The tributes ranged from military personnel, to scientists, including cultural and health professionals.

At 93 years old, Huang Zongde was the oldest among the winners. He participated in the triumphant revolution of 1949, known in China as the War of Liberation, in the resistance against American aggression in Korea during the Cold War.

Brazil on the Belt and Road and its future

In the afternoon, the president held a press conference for Brazilian media.

Regarding the possibility of Brazil joining the Belt and Road Initiative, the president highlighted the advantages of China's development cooperation proposal.

She said the partnership for industrialization and technology transfer is “the great opportunity offered by the Belt and Road.”

“This is what I think is the fundamental proposition for Brazil,” he said, citing the case of industrial and technological parks created in countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia .

As a second aspect of the initiative, she emphasized that it “does not require exclusivity.” “You can partner with Belt and Road and as many others as you want,” Rousseff explained.

Another strong point is what the Chinese government calls win-win: “the first time we see a country of some international importance proposing common development, it generally proposes a division of labor: I industrialize and you produce” . merchandise”.

The future of the New Development Bank

NBD has a very important characteristic: it is a bank made by and for emerging countries, said Dilma.

She explained that sustainability is one of the main focuses of the entity, which officially has six areas of activity: clean energy and energy efficiency, transport infrastructure, water and sanitation, environmental protection, social infrastructure and digital infrastructure.

She cited as an example of an investment involving Sino-Brazilian cooperation a high-capacity organic waste processor for the production of organic fertilizers.

Regarding the bank's general outlook, Dilma said the organization is under construction: “the bank has left its childhood and is entering its adolescence.”

“We have to proceed step by step, we cannot think that the bank will suddenly have the same status as multilateral banks” which have existed for decades.

In the future, the bank will be characterized by three elements: a greater focus on infrastructure and sustainable development, as well as industrialization and technology transfer.

The second is expansion towards the countries of the South. And the third is the growing financing of the private sector in local currency.

Editorial: Rodrigo Duro Coelho

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