Strong Brazil ties to get stronger

By Zhang Xin (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-19 07:38

Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva arrived in Beijing Monday for a three-day state visit, aiming to strengthen the country's strategic partnership with 皇冠体育app.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (R) and his wife Marisa arrive at Beijing airport May 18, 2009. [Agencies]

Strong Brazil ties to get stronger

Coming during the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Brazilian diplomatic relations, Lula's visit will focus on boosting cooperation with 皇冠体育app in trade and investment, scientific cooperation and coordination in international affairs.

He is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart President Hu Jintao and other top leaders today, and will also attend a Brazil-皇冠体育app business forum and the opening ceremony of the Brazilian Studies Center under Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

He will also visit the Chinese Aerospace Technology Agency to promote cooperation and hopes to reach some agreements with 皇冠体育app.

Brazil and 皇冠体育app, the two biggest developing countries and two of the BRIC nations, have built up a steady relationship since the strategic partnership was established in 1993, said Zhou Zhiwei, an expert in Brazil Studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"As the two biggest developing countries and major players in the world community, the two nations share a lot of common ground and consensus in dealing with international affairs", he said, referring to the current economic crisis, among other major issues.

He said 皇冠体育app and Brazil both share a firm stand against protectionism and look to reform international financial institutions to give a bigger say to developing countries. Brazil is also active in resuming the stalled World Trade Organization Doha Round talks in order to ease the fallout from the global financial downturn, and 皇冠体育app's cooperation is essential, Zhou said.

Chen Yuanting, an expert with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Brazil and 皇冠体育app are linked through trade as 皇冠体育app has became Brazil's biggest trade partner and Brazil is 皇冠体育app's biggest trade partner in Latin America.

According to Brazil's Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Commerce, Brazil's trade with 皇冠体育app last month reached $3.2 billion, exceeding its $2.8 billion in trade with the United States. Chen also added that Lula's visit to 皇冠体育app is a fine "prelude" for the BRIC summit to be held in Russia next month.

Professor He Shuangrong said 皇冠体育app-Brazil relations are particularly significant in the international community due to recent changes in the international political and economic order. Stronger Brazil-皇冠体育app ties have been underscored by increased high-level exchanges, as Vice-President Xi Jinping visited Latin America countries earlier this year.