A recent conference in Brazil’s largest city, organised by a Chinese provincial government, underscores how the two countries are drawing ever closer in the wake of upgraded relations, reports online news outlet Brasil de Fato.
The Conference on Economic and Commercial Exchange and Cooperation, held in São Paulo and organised by the Shandong provincial government, brought together business leaders and government authorities from both countries to capitalise on the agreements made back in November.
During President Xi Jinping’s landmark trip to the South American country, he and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula de Silva signed 37 agreements spanning market access for agricultural products, educational exchanges, technological cooperation, trade and investment, infrastructure, industry, energy, mining, finance, communications, sustainable development, tourism, sports, health, and culture. Brazilian Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Carlos Fávaro, who attended the conference, stressed the importance of making progress in three of these areas: food, industry and mining.
“We need concrete measures to strengthen good diplomatic and commercial relations,” Fávaro told Brasil de Fato, emphasising the role of Sino-Brazilian relations in providing stability in an increasingly unstable world. Shandong Vice-Governor Song Junji, also in attendance, echoed the sentiment, saying it is necessary to “deepen cooperation to build a fairer world and a more sustainable planet.”
[See more: Sino-Brazilian ties enter a ‘new era’ at Xi and Lula summit]
Shandong Province has been given “the mission of being at the forefront” of Sino-Brazilian relations by President Xi, leveraging its economic might to power “sustainable, high-quality development,” Junji said. The conference is part of that work, bringing together businesspeople from all sectors in Shandong, including consultancy, technology, infrastructure, inputs and various manufacturers, all aiming to find new markets in Brazil and better understand how Brazilian business works.
Shandong has plenty to offer. As China’s third-largest provincial economy, reaching a GDP of 9.2 trillion yuan (US$1.27 trillion) in 2023, Shandong is experiencing a process of industrial renewal.
Average annual growth over the last three years topped 6 percent, as the province built up clean energy capacity, reduced pollution, invested in a world-class seaport cluster and transitioned industry toward greater digitalisation and environmentally friendly practices. In April of last year, Governor Zhou Naixiang vowed to make more concrete efforts to advance rural revitalisation as well.
That’s exactly the kind of expertise Brazil is looking for as it seeks to “re-industrialise,” bringing back manufacturing with an emphasis on green and high-tech industries. The two places also have a strong existing basis for cooperation as Brazil is among the top 10 destinations for Shandong exports, purchasing US$1.3 billion worth of goods in 2024. Likewise, Brazil is the fourth-largest supplier to the province, with imports in 2024 totalling US$15.7 billion.
