Brazilian and Chinese presidents emphasize the importance of bilateral relations in talks to strengthen trade.
The presidents of Brazil and China have pledged to strengthen cooperation between their two countries, while Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Xi Jinping held highly anticipated talks in the Chinese capital.
Friday’s meeting in Beijing fell on the second day of Lula’s visit to China, the South American country’s main trading partner.
Their talks focused largely on trade relations and other forms of cooperation, but also touched on the conflict in Ukraine, with leaders agreeing on the need for a negotiated settlement, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV.
“As comprehensive strategic partners, China and Brazil share extensive common interests,” Xi said, according to China’s foreign ministry. “China sees the relationship as a high priority on its diplomatic agenda,” he said.
Lula, who took office early this year, has sought to repair Brazil’s relations with allies, many of which were tested under his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. He has also sought to affirm the country’s role in international diplomacy.
Bomb dia, Brazil! Assinei agora with President Xi Jinping has reached a large part of his time, for avançarmos in areas of energy renovation, industrial automotive; agronegócio, creditworthiness, technological information, security and infrastructure. 🇧🇷🤝🇨🇳
📸: @ricardostuckert pic.twitter.com/NQmW9WS2Lh
— Lula (@LulaOficial) April 14, 2023
In a tweet on Friday, Brazil’s president said he had signed agreements with China on renewable energy, agribusiness, information technology, health and infrastructure, among others.
The two governments have signed 15 agreements or MoUs, including the construction of a sixth satellite used to monitor the Amazon, and the development of technology for 5G telecommunications, internet and cybersecurity.
They also agreed to “examine mechanisms to promote bilateral cooperation in scientific and technological research and industrial innovation”.
This would involve joint research and development activities between public, private and academic institutions, and the exchange of scientists and scientific papers.
Brazil-China ties have been strained under Bolsonaro, who won Brazil’s 2018 presidential election after campaigning against anti-Chinese rhetoric.
But the two countries are important economic partners, with bilateral trade totaling $150 billion by 2022, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence analysts Ailsa Rosales and Alejandro Duran Carrete. wrote in a briefing note this month.
Brazil mainly exports iron ore, soybeans and crude oil to China, while semiconductors account for the majority of Chinese exports to the Brazilian market.
Lula’s visit to China follows trips to Argentina and Uruguay in January and to the United States in February, when he met with President Joe Biden at the White House.