Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is scheduled to visit China on April 14 to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Lula’s office, he will travel to Beijing on April 11. Despite being diagnosed with mild pneumonia, the Brazilian leader reportedly intends to proceed with his original itinerary, including signing approximately 20 agreements with China, Brazil’s largest trading partner, as reported by Reuters.
This visit comes months after Lula took office following his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, and two months after he met with US President Joe Biden. Brazil’s foreign policy aims to balance its relationship with its two most important trading partners, the US and China, even amid growing tensions between the two countries.
Lula’s trip to China is seen as an attempt to strengthen Brazil’s ties with Beijing and attract new Chinese investment, according to Reuters. Bilateral trade between Brazil and China was valued at $150.5 billion last year, significantly higher than the $88.7 billion between Brazil and the US, its second-largest trading partner.
Lula hopes to improve Brazil’s relations with China, which had become strained under his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022). According to AFP, Bolsonaro often criticized China, particularly regarding the coronavirus pandemic, similar to his political hero, former US President Donald Trump.
Post Your Comments