Brazilian expert: China-Brazil ties usher in next golden 50 years

The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of China-Brazil diplomatic ties. In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Brazil.  

During the visit, Xi said that China is ready to join hands with Brazil in a spirit of perseverance and dedication to build a China-Brazil community with a shared future and usher in the next "Golden 50 Years" of China-Brazil relations. 

Filipe Porto, a research fellow at Brazil's Federal University of ABC, shares his insights and perspectives for the China-Brazil next "Golden 50 Years."

Transcript

That means that both countries recognized their importance of their relations goes beyond these two countries themselves. It has implications on global development and the global environment.  

China and Brazil play a pivotal role in reforming global institutions and presenting alternatives that really represent and amplify the voices of the Global South countries. 

Host:
Hello and welcome to this edition of China Trends. The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of China-Brazil diplomatic ties. In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Brazil.  

During the visit, Xi said that China is ready to join hands with Brazil in a spirit of perseverance and dedication to build a China-Brazil community with a shared future and usher in the next "Golden 50 Years" of China-Brazil relations. 

Today, I'm so delighted to have Filipe Porto, a research fellow at Brazil's Federal University of ABC, join us to share his insights on the achievements of China-Brazil relations and his perspective for the next "Golden 50 Years."

Host:

Hello, thank you very much for joining me on this interview.  

Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently paid a state visit to Brazil. In your opinion, how will the state visit help to advance China-Brazil bilateral relations?

Porto:

The first one is that the global strategic partnership between China and Brazil was elevated to a community with a shared future (for a more just world and a more sustainable planet). What does that mean? That means that both countries recognized their importance of their relations goes beyond these two countries themselves. It has implications on global development and the global environment. So, that's a very significant step.  

And another one, concerns Brazil’s national interests, particularly in the development area of the industrial sector. Both presidents agreed on aligning the Belt and Road Initiative to the Growth Acceleration plan. What does that mean? That means they will look for synergies in green and sustainable development, in development of infrastructure, and co-creation of Brazil's development. That will have huge implications for how these bilateral relations will advance in the near future. 

Host:

Thank you for your answers. According to your observations, what are the highlights of China-Brazil bilateral relations in recent years? 
 

Porto:

China has been the largest trading partner of Brazil since 2009. China has been investing massively in Brazil. Brazilian exports to China account for 30% of its total exports and that shows us a lot about the strategic partnership between the two countries. And if I could define this relationship with one word, I would say that word is consistency. 

Why? China depends on Brazil for imports of meat, protein, cellulose, iron ore, and other materials. Because Brazil is a natural power for these resources. 

And in the Brazilian side, China has penetrated many sectors in a very strategic way. One sector is the electricity sector. We have CPFL energy, which is owned by (China’s) State Grid, and it transmits electric energy to the economic heart of Brazil, which is Sao Paulo city. 

So, it's a real strategic partnership based on consistency of what both sides need, whether in the area that China has penetrated Brazil, or in the area that Brazilian exports to China are very reliable and consistent. 
 

Host: 

During his visit to Brazil, Xi quoted the words of the legendary Brazilian footballer Pelé: "The most beautiful goal is always the next one," and noted that "The most wonderful chapter of China-Brazil relations is also yet to come." In your view, what exciting breakthroughs can we expect in the next chapter of China-Brazil economic and trade relations?

Porto:

In recent years, bilateral trade has been flourishing for both sides. Brazilian exports to China accounted in 2023 for 106 billion U.S. dollars. So, that's a very impressive number. And these trade relations, they are gaining new dimensions. It's natural that they gain new dimensions as the relationship gets deeper. We are getting to see more and more Chinese electronic vehicles in the streets. For example, BYD, Great Wall Motors are putting fabrication plants in Brazil, creating local jobs, and giving the promise that Brazil will be a hub for exports of these cars to South America. 

That's a natural trend for the global environment that's going through energy transition needs. And it's particularly for Brazil because Brazil has a huge potential for energy transformation. Brazil has one of the cleanest energy metrics in the world.  

There is also collaboration in new energy, such as solar panels and wind supplies for wind energy. And these are realities that the world is facing right now.  

So, both sides are complementing each other. And this cooperation in this field, these new dimensions highlight a central theme that I believe, in my opinion, it will be the future of the relationship between China and Brazil, which is sustainability, in the capacity of both countries in co-creating projects, in eco-scientific research, in biotechnology, How these countries are going to prepare solutions for what we need to make our planet better. So, that's very promising. 
 

Host:

Both China and Brazil have rich cultural heritage. How will the two countries strengthen cooperation in cultural and people-to-people exchanges?

Porto:
That's another very good question, because we talked a lot already about the trade and economic exchanges. And this of course shows us the importance of the relationship. But I believe this importance is not translated into this cultural and people-to-people exchanges.  

I will mention a few examples. When the Brazilians think about China, they think about access to high-end technology and high-end products. This got better. 10 years before, if you asked a Brazilian about China, he would say it would be access to cheap products that made in China. So, you got a lot better.  

In the Chinese side, if I say I’m a Brazilian, they will say of course they will remember of football. Brazil is a football nation. So in this sense, I would like to see the perceptions of both societies get broader, amplifying. And it's very nice that both countries establish 2026 as the year of cultural relations.  

And I believe, in this sense of communications, there is a key aspect that can help us bridge the understanding between the two countries, which is journalism. Chinese media outlets, they are present in Brazil. They learned how to communicate Brazil very well to China, and that's very good.  

So I think it's very important that we strengthen communication on culture, on people-to-people exchanges, because seeing is believing. 

So the relationship with China must gain its own influence in Brazil. It has gained influence among political leaders, among businessmen, among scholars. But I want to see that happening with society, understanding China better through culture and people-to-people exchanges. That's how we are going to get to know each other better. 
 

Host:

This year marks the 10th anniversary of China's proposal to build a China-Latin America community with a shared future. What progress has been achieved already? What role does China-Brazil bilateral relations hold for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Latin America?

Porto:

All countries (in Latin America) agree historically that we need to enhance regional integration, especially through infrastructure and political means. But due to the internal realities of each country, that does not happen.  

Talking about China when it comes to China and cooperation with CELAC, we see that China gives hope and stimulus for this integration happen in reality in practical terms.  

I will mention the recent example of the port inaugurated in Peru, the Chancay Port, which is a project that will not only benefit Peru and China themselves, but all nations around the region. Why? Because all nations have the interest of exporting in an easier and a less expensive way to China.So, this port will give impetus for the countries in the regions to start talks about how to connect better with Peru, and to connect better with infrastructure that transports not only goods, but also people. So that will be very good for our South American integration in the end. 

Host:

The Global South's rise signals great changes in our world. As the largest developing countries in the Eastern and Western hemispheres, how does the cooperation between China and Brazil contribute to Global South development?

Porto:

Well, China and Brazil play a pivotal role in reforming global institutions and presenting alternatives that really represent and amplify the voices of the Global South countries. 

One example is the BRICS, more specifically through the New Development Bank, It's an easier way that adapts well to the necessities of these countries. So that's already a huge, significant change in how China and Brazil play this role to support Global South development. 

The second is the political advocacy of both countries in reforming multilateral institutions, like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, for example, for taking down barriers of trade and  amplifying the voices of these countries. 
 

Host:

During the G20 Summit and the bilateral meetings between President Xi and President Lula, both leaders had mentioned the poverty issues. In your opinion, what does China's success in fighting poverty mean to Brazil and the Global South nations? And how can China and Brazil work together to shake poverty off in Brazil as well as in the Global South?

Porto:

This is a topic that I believe if President Lula and President Xi would have time, they would be be spending hours talking about it, because they have strong connections to the topic.  

China on its side, for its success on lifting millions of people out of poverty over this time. And it shows us an example of how serious political actions and strategic planning can eradicate poverty and give a better life for its society. It inspires Brazil, it inspires all the countries in the world. Also not only domestically, China has cooperation with several countries, including the African countries in the context of FOCAC. 

This served as an inspiration for the G20 in Brazil, the G20 presidency in Brazil think about a global alliance against hunger and poverty, which was just approved in the summit in Rio. So that's very remarkable.  

For President Lula himself, he comes from a very poor background. He has suffered from poverty and hunger himself when he was a kid. So this is a topic that touches him a lot. During his first government, he launched a program called Bolsa Família, which the results a few years later was eliminating Brazil out of the United Nations’ map of hunger. So I believe both countries have a lot to contribute and exchange in that sense. 

Host:

Thank you very much for sharing us with these insightful answers. 

Porto:

It's my pleasure, and let's work together to build the next 50 years of this relationship.