US-China Relations Updates

Joint Statement on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Based on the information provided, it appears that President Lula visited the United States in early February of this year, but reportedly stayed for only one day before leaving due to a perceived lack of substantial offerings from the US. While there are few reports on the details of that visit, it seems that there was limited policy or strategy exchange between the US and Brazil. In contrast, the meeting between China and Brazil resulted in a series of agreements and memoranda of understanding covering various areas of cooperation. Below is the full document of the Joint Statement on Deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Brazil and China:

(Beijing, April 14, 2023)

1. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic of Brazil paid a state visit to China from April 12 to 15, 2023. During the visit, the two heads of state held talks in a warm and friendly atmosphere exchanging views on China-Brazil relations, cooperation in various fields, and issues of common concern in the international and regional arenas, and reached a broad consensus. Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji respectively met with President Lula.
2. The Brazilian side warmly congratulated on convening the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress and the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and the re-election of President Xi Jinping as State President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China. The Chinese side warmly congratulated President Lula on his third term as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
3. The two sides reviewed and positively evaluated the achievements of the development of the partnership since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. They believed that the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Brazil strategic partnership and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2024 should be taken as an opportunity to continue to promote government visits and dialogues and exchanges between various departments, enhance political mutual trust, consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations, and jointly deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Brazil characterized by openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win results, deepen cooperation in fields such as poverty reduction, social development, and technological innovation, and expand cooperation in new areas such as environmental protection, climate change response, low-carbon economy, and digital economy.
4. The two sides believe that the current international situation is undergoing changes, and both sides need to continue to work hard to promote the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom for all mankind. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to upholding international law, including the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations as its cornerstone, and to upholding the core role of the United Nations in the international system. They reiterated their commitment to promoting the democratization of international relations and practicing multilateralism.
5. The Brazilian side reaffirmed its firm adherence to the one-China principle, that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The Brazilian side also reaffirmed the principle
6. Both sides reaffirm their support for the authority of the United Nations and its core role in maintaining international peace and security and promoting development. They believe it is necessary to reform the United Nations and the Security Council to make them more representative and democratic, and to promote necessary and appropriate reforms of the Security Council to enable developing countries to play a more significant role. China attaches great importance to Brazil’s influence and role in regional and international affairs and understands and supports Brazil’s desire to play a more significant role in the United Nations.
7. The two sides positively evaluate their dialogue and coordination in international organizations and multilateral mechanisms, and will continue to strengthen exchanges under multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, as well as the G20, BRICS, and BASIC. China supports Brazil’s chairmanship of the BRICS in 2025. The two sides will continue to deepen cooperation in various fields under the BRICS framework, and support active discussions among BRICS member states on the process of BRICS expansion, emphasizing the necessity of clarifying the guiding principles, rules, standards, and procedures of the expansion process based on extensive consultation and consensus.
8. The two sides agree to continue to deepen beneficial cooperation within the framework of the G20. China supports Brazil’s assumption of the G20 presidency from December 1, 2023, as an opportunity to strengthen the priority issues of developing countries within the G20 framework. The two sides agree that the G20 is the main platform for dialogue and cooperation on economic, financial, and development issues, and will work together to promote the greater role of the G20 in achieving sustainable development goals.
9. The two sides agree that dialogue and negotiation are the only feasible solution to the Ukrainian crisis, and all efforts conducive to a peaceful resolution of the crisis should be encouraged and supported. Brazil welcomes China’s relevant proposals, which provide useful ideas for seeking a peaceful solution to the crisis. China welcomes Brazil’s efforts to promote peace. The two sides call on more countries to play a constructive role in promoting a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis and decide to maintain communication on this issue.
10. The impact of climate change cannot be ignored, and the two sides have decided to strengthen cooperation in the areas of environmental protection, climate change and biodiversity loss, promoting sustainable development, and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy.
11. In light of this, the two sides have decided to establish a subcommittee on environment and climate change under the framework of the China-Brazil High-Level Coordination and Cooperation Committee.
12. The two sides commit to continuing bilateral dialogues and coordinating positions on climate change and environmental issues within mechanisms such as BASIC and BRICS.

11. Brazil congratulates China on its presidency of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the adoption of the ambitious, balanced, and practical Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to curb and reverse the loss of biodiversity. Both sides pledge to strengthen cooperation in implementing the Framework, including providing funding for biodiversity, scientific cooperation, and technology transfer to address the major concerns of developing countries. Both sides will also seek to address desertification, land degradation, and drought issues under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
12. Both sides promise to implement the China-Brazil Strategic Plan for 2022-2031 and the China-Brazil Action Plan for 2022-2026, which were adopted at the 6th meeting of the China-Brazil High-Level Coordination and Cooperation Committee. They also agree to optimize the structure of the Committee and hold the 4th Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue this year.
13. Both sides emphasize the important role of the China-Brazil High-Level Coordination and Cooperation Committee in guiding and coordinating bilateral cooperation in various fields. They agree to continue promoting mutual investment within the framework of the Committee and explore new areas of economic complementarity and cooperation opportunities, taking into account each country’s respective interests and laws. Both sides are willing to explore Brazil’s development policies and investment plans in the context of South American integration and align them with China’s development
14. The Brazilian side welcomes China’s global development initiative proposed to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Both sides will work together to seek to promote global development that is more prosperous, sustainable, and balanced, and ensure that no country is left behind.
15. Both sides agree that the future and destiny of all countries are closely linked and that different civilizations should be inclusive, coexist, and learn from each other. The Brazilian side is concerned about China’s global civilization initiative. Both sides recall the importance of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Global Forum, which was held in Brazil in 2010.
16. Both sides emphasize that cooperation in areas such as culture, tourism, education, and sports plays a positive role in enhancing mutual understanding between the two societies. Both sides will work together to strengthen cultural exchanges. Both sides have decided to promote the implementation of the agreement on co-producing TV shows and films, to promote exchanges in the field of audiovisual production, and to strengthen social and cultural ties between China and Brazil. Both sides reiterate their willingness to promote exchanges between scientific research institutions, educational institutions, and international students, further, promote Portuguese language teaching in Brazil and Chinese language teaching in Brazil, and facilitate mutual recognition of academic degrees between the two countries.
17. Both sides actively affirm the good momentum of bilateral trade. Both sides agree to continue to expand trade and actively promote trade diversification, facilitate trade, promote service trade and agricultural product trade, and improve the resilience of industrial chain supply chains. Both sides affirm the good cooperation between the two countries in the customs, inspection and quarantine fields, and promise to create favorable conditions for the coverage of more competitive and high-value-added products in bilateral trade.
18. Both sides affirm that cooperation in agriculture and agricultural product trade is of strategic significance, express satisfaction with the consensus reached by the competent authorities of both sides in the fields of health and plant health and food safety, and promise to strengthen dialogue in these fields to firmly promote the safe and smooth development of grain and agricultural product trade between the two countries.
19. Both sides highly appreciate the consultation and signing of the protocol on quarantine and hygiene requirements for Brazilian land-based animal protein feed exported to China and promise to actively promote the consultation on the protocol for the export of Brazil’s pistachios, sesame seeds, sorghum, and rice to China. In addition, the two sides have formulated a cooperation work plan for electronic certificates of animal-derived products. Both sides promise to continue to consult on the work plan for electronic certificates of plant quarantine.
20. The Brazilian side ensures that recommended registered meat enterprises meet the requirements, and the Chinese side will approve qualified enterprises to register in China according to procedures.
21. Both sides agree to actively encourage companies from both countries to invest in each other’s countries, especially in the fields of infrastructure, energy transformation, logistics, mining, agriculture, industry, and high-tech. The two sides congratulate each other on signing the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Industrial Investment and Cooperation.
22. Both sides agree that there is huge potential for investment and cooperation in the field of transportation infrastructure, including railways, and recognize that efficient transportation infrastructure is crucial for sustainable economic and social development. Both sides are willing to deepen investment and cooperation in the port sector, especially in developing infrastructure and improving port operations.
23. Both sides recognize the importance of strategic exchanges in the aviation field, agree to jointly strengthen dialogue in the aviation field under the China-Brazil High-Level Commission for Cooperation (COSBAN), and extensively carry out industrial cooperation in this field. Both sides welcome the cooperation between Brazilian aviation industry companies and Chinese aviation companies.
24. Both sides emphasize the consensus and complementarity of the two countries in the digital economy field, appreciate the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding Understanding on Strengthening Investment and Cooperation in the Digital Economy field, and aim to create a digital economy partnership. Both sides will implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Sustainable Development Investment and Cooperation already signed, and build a sustainable development partnership.
25. Both sides agree that e-commerce has huge potential in promoting trade development, and are willing to take measures to promote e-commerce cooperation, including promoting the development of cross-border e-commerce, and build a more convenient and efficient e-commerce environment.
26. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two countries’ finance ministries. Both sides agree to deepen dialogue in the economic, financial, and monetary fields, strengthen local currency trade, promote cooperation in sustainable financing, deepen exchanges between financial and monetary think tanks, promote accounting and auditing regulatory exchanges, provide an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises to invest and start businesses in accordance with local regulations, and promote high-quality development of China-Pakistan investment cooperation. Both sides agree to strengthen dialogue on promoting the effective role of the China-Pakistan Capacity Cooperation Fund in promoting bilateral investment cooperation.
27. Both sides appreciate the progress made in cooperation between China and Pakistan in the financial and monetary fields, especially under the framework of the New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Both sides are willing to jointly build relevant institutions to promote the common development of both countries and the world. Both sides reiterate their support for the New Development Bank, support the New Development Bank to gradually absorb new members in a balanced manner and improve its governance level.  Both sides emphasize the role played by both countries in enhancing the influence and discourse power of emerging markets and developing countries in global economic governance. Both sides welcome former Brazilian President  Dilma Rousseff as the new president of the New Development Bank.
28. Both sides emphasize the importance of conducting energy transformation and emission reduction in a fair and just manner in their respective countries and internationally, taking into account the characteristics of each country’s situation, the need to increase energy demand, and the necessity to ensure energy security. Both sides agree to further engage in bilateral dialogue in relevant fields, deepen exchanges of public policy information, and better promote the use of clean energy and technological research and development to achieve decarbonization of their respective energy matrices.
29. Both sides reiterate their willingness to work together to promote cooperation in the renewable energy, energy transformation, and energy efficiency fields, especially in bioenergy, hydrogen energy, sustainable aviation fuels, and other areas, and to promote mutual investment and research and development and innovation cooperation in the field of energy transformation.
30. Both sides reiterate their willingness to work together to promote cooperation in the renewable energy, energy transformation, and energy efficiency fields, especially in bioenergy, hydrogen energy, sustainable aviation fuels, and other areas, and to promote mutual investment and research and development and innovation cooperation in the field of energy transformation.
31. Both sides recognize the strategic role of science and technology innovation in the economic development and competitiveness of the two countries. Both sides point out that bilateral cooperation is a key way to achieve the above goals. Therefore, both sides have decided to closely cooperate in the fields of e-commerce, low-carbon economy, digital economy, and information and communication technology. Both sides agree to encourage interaction between the entrepreneurial ecosystems of the two countries, establish joint research, development, and innovation centers, and cooperate on relevant projects.
32. Both sides believe that there is enormous potential for cooperation and investment in the field of information and communication technology, and highly appreciate the signing of the memorandum of understanding in this field between the two countries. They agree to further strengthen contacts between public and private sector participants of both countries, create mechanisms to facilitate joint ventures and technology partnerships between companies, and express their willingness to promote diversified mutual investment, such as Chinese companies announcing technology research and development in the communication and electronic products field in Brazil.
33. Both sides recall the achievements of the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite Program, established in 1988, and reaffirm their willingness to strengthen and expand cooperation between the two countries in the peaceful use of outer space, emphasizing that new technology research and development and projects containing technology transfer elements should be jointly promoted in cooperation. Both sides highly appreciate the signing of the Supplementary Protocol on Joint Development of Earth Resources Satellite 06 and the 2023-2032 China National Space Administration and Brazilian Space Agency Space Cooperation Plan, agree to accelerate the development of the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite 06 and the implementation of related projects outlined in the China-Brazil Space Cooperation Outline, deepen the feasibility Study of the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite 05, and expand cooperation in fields such as lunar and deep space exploration. Both sides also support the BINGO radio telescope project being constructed in Brazil for the study of dark matter. They also emphasize the importance of the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation, considering it a model of South-South cooperation that benefits all parties. Both sides emphasize that peaceful activities in outer space, including deep space exploration, should be based on international law and promote international cooperation.
34. Both sides recall that Brazil is one of the few countries that possess fourth-generation synchrotron radiation source technology, and China is also promoting the construction of fourth-generation synchrotron radiation sources to jointly develop new-generation light source technology. Both sides welcome the cooperation between the National Center for Energy Materials Research of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to promote cooperation between the Sirius synchrotron radiation source in Brazil and the Chinese high-energy synchrotron radiation source.
35. Both sides agree to make greater efforts to facilitate the travel of people between the two countries and expand tourism exchanges. Considering that promoting two-way tourism between the two countries is one of the goals of the China-Brazil Implementation Plan for 2022-2026, both sides are willing to promote the signing of a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation between the two countries. Brazil appreciates China’s inclusion of Brazil on the list of countries for the resumption of outbound group tourism.
36. As sports powers, both sides are willing to promote the signing of a memorandum of understanding on sports cooperation to encourage exchanges in various sports, sports medicine, and science.
37. Against the backdrop of the rising number of people facing food insecurity globally, both sides recalled the successful experiences of the two countries in fighting hunger and poverty and taking measures to ensure access to healthy food for low-income groups. Both sides are committed to eradicating hunger and poverty globally, recognizing the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (2019-2028) initiative and the critical role played by social and family farming policies in combating poverty and malnutrition. Accordingly, both sides agreed to closely cooperate through technological collaboration, reasonable use of machinery, and the application of renewable energy in smallholder farming, develop joint work plans, and explore issues related to combating hunger and poverty, and rural development, including policy cooperation and experience sharing to improve income transfers, economic and social inclusivity, and sustainable food production.
38. Recognizing the importance of coordinating rural development plans and anti-hunger plans, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Brazilian Ministry of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger, the Ministry of Family, Women and Human Rights, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply jointly signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation in the areas of social and rural development, and jointly combat hunger and poverty.
39. Both sides pledged to closely cooperate in the health sector to reduce the risk of epidemics. To this end, both sides welcomed initiatives such as the epidemic warning system and the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Center announced by China during its presidency of the previous BRICS summit. Both sides also pledged to promote bilateral scientific exchanges in vaccine and drug production, as well as early prevention and treatment of diseases with epidemic potential.
40. Both sides welcomed the bilateral cooperation established during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chinese vaccines played an important role in Brazil’s fight against the pandemic, contributing to saving the lives of millions of Brazilian people. At the same time, Brazil conducted strict and innovative testing of vaccines, contributing to proving the safety and effectiveness of Chinese vaccines.
41. Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in the field of urban construction and are willing to promote the signing of a memorandum of understanding on strengthening cooperation in the field of urban construction.
42. Both sides decided to initiate a dialogue between the departments responsible for international development cooperation and humanitarian cooperation in the two countries to expand mutual understanding and exchange of good practices, share information on priority issues and regions, and explore the possibility of coordinating positions in multilateral forums related to development cooperation. Both sides agreed to conduct tripartite cooperation.
43. Both sides agreed to deepen exchanges between the legislative institutions of the two countries, their specialized committees and friendly groups, and further play the role of the regular exchange mechanism between the Chinese and Brazilian legislative institutions. The Brazilian side announced that the Brazilian Congress has recently established the Brazil-China Parliamentary Front and the Brazil-BRICS Parliamentary Front.
44. Both sides will strengthen local exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. China is willing to continue to provide convenience for the establishment and functioning of the Consulate General of Brazil in Chengdu and to expand exchanges between China’s central and western regions and Brazil. Brazil emphasized that the establishment and operation of the Consulate General of Brazil in Chengdu will promote bilateral cooperation bilaterally, with a focus on the field of science and technology.
45. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the China-Latin America and Caribbean Community Forum with other Latin American and Caribbean partners, and jointly promote the implementation of the Key Areas of Cooperation Action Plan between China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (2022-2024), to achieve tangible results, create conditions for the forum summit when the China-Latin America and Caribbean Forum celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024, and jointly promote the deepening of the China-Latin America relationship based on equality, mutual benefit, innovation, openness, and benefit to the people. China is willing to deepen its cooperation with the Southern Common Market.
46. Both sides agreed that the multilateral trading system centered on the WTO Org should be maintained, and reiterated their support for international trade based on multilateral, and principles such as transparency, non-discrimination, openness, and inclusiveness. They emphasized the importance of restoring the dispute settlement mechanism dispute of the World Trade Organization and agreed to promote the development of economic globalization towards a more open, inclusive, and balanced direction that benefits all.
47. Both sides believe that dialogue between companies of the two countries is of great significance in promoting the development of bilateral economic and trade relations, and encourage companies of both countries to establish new partnerships. Both sides congratulated the successful holding of the China-Brazil Business Seminar on March 29, 2023.
48. During the visit, both sides signed and reached a series of agreements and memoranda of understanding, covering areas of cooperation such as poverty reduction, hunger relief, food security, technological innovation,  aerospace, information and communication, investment, customs inspection and quarantine, finance, digital economy, trade facilitation, television production, and media.
49. Both sides believe that President Lula’s visit was a complete success and of great significance in the history of bilateral relations. President Lula thanked President Xi Jinping President Xi Pres President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government and people for their warm and friendly reception during the visit, and invited President Xi Jinping to visit Brazil for a state visit in 2024 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. President Xi Jinping expressed his gratitude and both sides will communicate through diplomatic channels on this matter.