Itamaraty begins preparing topics for Lula’s trip to China in March

Vice President Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) met, this Wednesday (15), with members of the Sino-Brazilian High Level Commission for Concertation and Cooperation (COSBAN) to define what should be the topics that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) will discuss it on the trip to China possibly in March, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The vice-president, who is also Minister of Development, Industry, Commerce, Services and Innovation, explains that the expectation is that new bilateral agreements will be closed in areas such as “climate change, decarbonisation, energy efficiency, science, technology and innovation, food security, agriculture, defense, education, health, in short, in all areas”.

“We have 150 billion dollars of bilateral trade and our goal is to increase this trade and diversify it. […] We have US$ 28 billion in surplus for Brazil, this can grow, and US$ 70 billion in investment from China in Brazil, which has countless opportunities for us to be able to attract more investment and cooperation in the economic area, in the social area, and in all other areas”, highlighted Alckmin.

Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, executive secretary of COSBAN, said that the Chinese government already has an agenda of topics that it intends to discuss with President Lula, and that each ministry must “indicate what is the priority, what is the position that has in relation to the Chinese proposal and, at the same time, also present us with the position of each ministry in relation to the priority areas that could be discussed during the president’s trip”.

According to Itamaraty, trade between Brazil and China ended 2022 with record exports and imports. Sales to China reached US$ 89.7 billion, the third consecutive annual record, while purchases from the Asian giant reached US$ 60.7 billion, according to data from the Brazil-China Business Council.

This Wednesday’s (15th) meeting at the Itamaraty Palace was also attended by the ministers of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro; of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Carlos Fávaro; of Education, Camilo Santana; from Tourism, Daniela Carneiro; of Cities, Jader Filho; and the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, André de Paula.