Lula and Xi Jinping will expand the bilateral partnership between Brazil and China

Brazil and China will deepen their existing bilateral partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Brasilia. The leader of the Asian country will be received by President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, next Thursday (20), at the Palacio da Alvorada, where several bilateral agreements will be signed, involving all sectors of the government.

This is an opportunity for the two leaders to confirm the elevation of the bilateral political partnership, explore synergies between their respective development policies and investment programs and strengthen coordination on regional and multilateral issues, said the Secretary of State for Asia and the Pacific of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Business, Eduardo Paes Saboia, during an interview with the press, this Wednesday (13).

Saboia recalled that Brazil and China established a strategic partnership in 1993 and a global strategic partnership in 2012, in addition to dialoguing on multilateral and multilateral issues in various international forums.

Xi Jinping's visit, according to the ambassador, follows Lula's visit to China in April 2023 and also takes place to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Brazil and China are fundamental actors in the process of reforming global governance, to make it more representative and democratic, said Saboia, citing as an example the convergence of Brazil and China for the political resolution of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine.

Furthermore, the ambassador highlighted the first-class trade relations that exist between the two countries. China is Brazil's main trading partner and one of the country's main sources of investment.

In 2023, Brazil recorded a record number of exports to China, with US$104.3 billion, surpassing combined sales to the United States and the European Union.

The visit will serve to reiterate Brazil's efforts to increase the volume of bilateral trade and diversify the trade agenda with higher value-added Brazilian products. The two economies are complementary, Saboia said, saying protocols are being negotiated to export more Brazilian agricultural products to China and Brazil wants to attract more Chinese investment in areas such as infrastructure and capacity of industrial production.

The visit will present government initiatives aimed at increasing contracts in these areas. Among the 93 Chinese industrial projects in Brazil, the most notable were the automobile, electronics and machinery and equipment sectors, Saboia said, without specifying how many bilateral acts will be signed during the visit.

There is still an effort at rapprochement in the financial field, with initiatives at the level of BNDES, the Ministry of Finance and B3, the Brazilian stock exchange. The agreements must also cover science, technology and innovation, in order to respond to research advances in new areas such as clean energy sources, nanotechnologies and information and communication technologies, the photovoltaic industry, nuclear technology, artificial intelligence and the mechanization of family farming.

USA

Saboia was asked about the impact of Donald Trump's victory as president of the United States on Brazil's foreign policy, particularly in its relations with China. Experts consulted by Brazil Agency They believe that the North American country has great influence on the international scene and that with the election of Trump it should intensify pressure to stop Chinese commercial and political growth, under the pretext of risks to its own security.

In South America, it is possible that the United States will exert greater pressure on port countries, such as Brazil and Peru, in order to prevent the entry of Chinese products and, therefore, the expansion of the Chinese influence in the region.

Brazil, according to Saboia, must maintain its policy of expanding relations with other countries. Relations between Brazil and China have already gone through several North American governments and several different international situations and have only grown stronger over the years, he said.

We have excellent relations with the United States and Brazil has a strong desire to maintain good and close relations with the United States and China. Brazil is a country that speaks to everyone, that defends dialogue, trade, that wants to invest for wealth and development in general, he added.