Brazil and China signed an agreement last Friday to double the current maximum visa issuance period, raising the validity to up to 10 years, reports Reuters.
The extended validity of visas will make travelling easier between Brazil and China, promoting further business and tourism between the two countries. According to Brazilian tourism board Embratur, some 42,500 Chinese tourists visited Brazil in 2023, showing a significant recovery over previous years though still short of pre-pandemic figures.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed the visa agreement with his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, during a visit to Brazil by the Chinese minister. After a stop in Brasilia for the signing, Wang travelled to Fortaleza, capital of the northern Ceará Province, to meet with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
[See more: Lula is in China for his most important trip abroad since taking office]
Wang’s visit comes as the two countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. Their deepening ties, and participation in the BRICS bloc of countries, have become prominent features in an increasingly multipolar geopolitical landscape.
Relations between the two countries faltered somewhat under the previous administration of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who leaned more toward the US under Donald Trump and sometimes expressed anti-China rhetoric. Lula made restoring relations a priority, however. In the early months of his presidency, he embarked on a state visit to China, where he signed 15 agreements and 20 memorandums of understanding.
The meetings last week saw both countries agree to the goals of further strengthening strategic coordination. Both Lula and Vieira also expressed continued support for the “One China” principle.
