Chinese President Xi Jinping has responded to letters from over 100 friendly personages across Brazil, encouraging them to continue contributing to the longstanding friendship between China and Brazil. In his reply, President Xi expressed joy at the enduring bond that has developed over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
“I am glad to see that the China-Brazil friendship has been passed on from generation to generation,” Xi wrote. “Over the past five decades, our countries have marched forward hand in hand, sharing weal and woe, and have forged a friendship spanning mountains and oceans.”
He emphasized China’s willingness to work with Brazil to enrich their friendship in the new era, aiming to make China-Brazil relations a model of solidarity, coordination, common development, and mutual benefit among major developing countries. “Brazilian friends are welcome to visit China more often and experience for themselves the myriad sights of Chinese modernization,” Xi added.
President Xi voiced hope that people from all walks of life in both countries will play a positive role in promoting the continuous development of China-Brazil relations, likening their friendship to the unceasing flow of the Yangtze River and the Amazon River.
The letters to President Xi were sent by Enrique Teixeira, former deputy mayor of Campinas in S\u00e3o Paulo State, along with more than 100 friendly personages from the Brazil-China Friendship Association, the University of S\u00e3o Paulo, S\u00e3o Paulo State University, and the Copacabana Fort Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro. They expressed gratitude to the Chinese government, enterprises, and universities for their contributions to China-Brazil friendly exchanges and the improvement of local people’s livelihoods.
As 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil, the two nations have deepened and diversified cooperation in various fields including trade, climate change, education, culture, and technological innovation. Since 2009, China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner and a key investor, while Brazil is the first Latin American country to export over $100 billion to China, making it China’s top regional trading partner.
According to Zhu Qingqiao, the Chinese Ambassador to Brazil, China’s investments in Brazil exceed $70 billion, covering sectors such as energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and technology. Both countries are currently aligning their development strategies to expand traditional collaborations and explore new areas like energy transition, digital economy, biotechnology, and aerospace.
Last month, the China-Brazil Forum on Marine Science and Technology Innovation was held in Beijing, bringing together leading experts and scholars from both countries to explore cutting-edge technologies and practical experiences in marine science. The forum aimed to deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation, accelerating innovation in this field.
Cultural exchanges have also flourished. Recife, a city in Brazil, declared 2024 as “the Year of China,” while the Beijing International Film Festival invited Brazil as the guest of honor and hosted a Brazilian Film Week. Additionally, starting February 19 this year, China and Brazil began issuing 10-year multiple-entry visas to each other’s citizens for purposes such as business, tourism, and family visits, with a maximum stay of 90 days per visit, which is expected to significantly increase the number of Chinese travelers visiting Brazil.
“Cultural exchanges lay a solid foundation for public goodwill in bilateral relations between China and Brazil,” said Cao Ting, Deputy Director of the Research Office for Latin American Studies at Fudan University. She noted that the robust growth of cultural exchanges has been driven by strengthened high-level political mutual trust, a strong desire among both peoples to enhance communication, and the convenience provided by faster international flights and improved digital connectivity.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
