Beijing, Brasilia sign deals to expand cooperation

China and Brazil have inked a slew of cooperation documents in fields such as fiscal and financial affairs, artificial intelligence, aerospace and alignment of development strategies, as they strive to promote bilateral ties and build a community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet.

Premier Li Qiang and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva witnessed the signing of the documents on Saturday after their meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Li arrived in Brazil's second-largest city on Saturday to attend the 17th BRICS Summit on Sunday and Monday.

The meeting came less than two months after Lula's state visit to China in May, when he met with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, after which the two sides issued a joint statement on strengthening the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet, and on jointly upholding multilateralism.

Li talked about Lula's visit to China, saying that China-Brazil relations are at their best period in history.

China is willing to work with Brazil to leverage each other's complementary advantages and further consolidate and deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, finance and infrastructure development under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, he said.

The premier underlined the need for both countries to expand cooperation in areas such as the digital and green economies, sci-tech innovation and aerospace.

Li also called for both countries to jointly ensure the success of the China-Brazil Year of Culture in 2026, step up cooperation in education, youth, healthcare and other areas, further facilitate people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen public support for China-Brazil friendship and cooperation.

Noting that both China and Brazil are staunch supporters of multilateralism and free trade, Li expressed China's willingness to enhance communication and coordination with Brazil within multilateral frameworks, such as the United Nations, BRICS and the G20, to work in unity with developing countries to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and provide more certainty and stability for the world.

China supports Brazil in hosting the UN Climate Change Conference in Belem (COP30) later this year, Li said.

Lula asked Li to convey his sincere regards to President Xi and said that the two peoples share a profound friendship.

He emphasized that Brazil attaches great importance to advancing its relations with China, and stands ready to work with China to follow through on the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and further strengthen high-level exchanges.

Brazil is ready to promote exchanges and cooperation with China in areas such as economy and trade, science and technology, finance and aerospace, he added.

Lula said that Brazil also seeks to deepen collaboration with China in addressing climate change, and welcomes China's participation in the upcoming COP30 in Belem.

Brazil is willing to deepen multilateral communication and coordination with China, jointly oppose unilateralism, and uphold multilateralism and free trade, in order to promote world peace and development, he added.

While flying to Brazil, Li made a stopover on Friday on the island of Rhodes, Greece, where he met with Greek Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, with both sides pledging to enhance bilateral ties.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn