Brazil and China: Strong partnerships for a shared future!

Brazil and China: Strong partnerships for a shared future!

Relations between Brazil and China are experiencing a new surge of intensity as Chinese companies become increasingly involved in agriculture and energy in Brazil. At a conference in São Paulo that brought together over 300 participants, including business people and government officials, the focus was on economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries. The conference was attended by, among others, the Vice Governor of China's Shandong Province, Song Junji, and Brazil's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro.

Fávaro highlighted that 37 new agreements were signed during a summit in November 2024, covering trade, agriculture, energy and education. He also stressed the need for concrete measures to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations. A central part of the conference was the call for cooperation in the regional context and within the Brics group. Liu Hatong, vice governor of Shandong, spoke about the agreements to create a “Brazilian-Chinese future community”.

Economic importance of cooperation

Shandong Province is considered one of China's most advanced coastal provinces and plays a key role in efforts to develop a deeper partnership with Brazil. President Xi Jinping has tasked Shandong with taking a leading role in relations with Brazil. The province was China's fourth-largest exporter and sixth-largest importer in 2024, with a remarkable economic growth of six percent between 2023 and 2024. Shandong is home to over 35,000 high-tech companies and more than 50,000 start-ups in the technology market, and its significant port infrastructure makes it a major player in international trade.

As the GTAI reported, China plans to further expand bilateral relations with Brazil. China is already Brazil's most important foreign trade partner, a fact reinforced by recent developments under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Analysts expect South-South cooperation to intensify, while Lula wants to integrate Brazil into the “New Silk Road”. Almost a third of Brazil's exports go to China, while over 20 percent of imports come from China.

Chinese companies are showing strong interest in Brazil, with investments in the power sector particularly increasing. CGN Energy International, for example, plans to invest an additional $2 billion in Brazil by 2024. Other major Chinese players such as China Three Gorges and the State Grid Corporation are also active in the Brazilian energy sector. Despite a strained relationship under the previous government, trade relations between Brazil and China have intensified during the coronavirus pandemic.