Skip to main content

Brazil's Lula nods to 'long-term partnership' with China

1 min

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that he will discuss a "long-term strategic partnership" with China when he meets his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later this year in Brazil.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva © Mena Today 

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that he will discuss a "long-term strategic partnership" with China when he meets his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later this year in Brazil.

Lula mentioned at an event that China, Brazil's top trade partner, is aiming to talk to the South American country about its Belt and Road Initiative. He signaled that Brazil would be open to joining the initiative.

The leftist leader will receive Xi for a state visit in Brasilia following the G20 leaders' summit in Rio de Janeiro in November.

Lula noted, however, that he does not want his country's ties with China to compromise its relationship with the United States. Brazil and the U.S. are the two largest democracies in the Western Hemisphere.

"We want our economy to be stronger than ever, so we need to find partners," Lula said. "Do not think that I want to pick a fight with the U.S. On the contrary, I want the U.S. on our side as much as I want China."

Brazil and China are both members of the BRICS group of major emerging economies.

Lula also said that he is set to visit Japan in March 2025, amid efforts from his government to boost diplomatic ties.

(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Kylie Madry)

Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Gabriel Araujo

Tags

Related

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.