The relationship between Brazil and China changed levels after the official visit to the Asian country, said President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Upon leaving the Asian country this Saturday morning (15), at local time, Lula said that the two nations created ties in new areas, such as energy transition, digital world, education and culture.
“An important thing is happening in the Brazil-China relationship. It’s just that we are overcoming that phase of commodities and we are getting into other needs. We are getting into the digital issue, we have a lot to learn from the Chinese, we are getting into the culture issue”, declared the president shortly before fly to the United Arab Emirates.
The president stressed that the trip to China was not motivated by political interests. According to him, the signed agreements were based on the investment potential and advantages for Brazil. “We don’t have political choices, ideological choices, we have a choice of national interest. The interest of the Brazilian people, the interest of the national industry, the interest of our sovereignty and, therefore, I leave here satisfied”, he commented. “We don’t need to break up and fight with anyone for us to improve.”
According to Lula, the 15 agreements signed with China provide for cooperation between Brazilian and Chinese universities, as well as partnerships between companies from both countries for the development of renewable energy. Another agreement, in the area of connectivity, intends to help Brazil to universalize broadband internet access in public schools. That is why, said the president, he visited the Chinese giant Huawei last Thursday (13).
“It is necessary to have more Chinese in Brazilian universities and more Brazilians in Chinese universities. We need to discuss the issue of energy transition, because Brazil is a country that has an extraordinary potential for clean energy in all aspects, and that the Chinese can help us, and not only in building the new energy matrix, but companies, they participate in association with Brazilian companies”, added Lula.
Regarding investments in clean energy, the president said that all countries, from the most developed to the least industrialized, need to understand the importance of respecting the environment and promoting sustainable development. “The planet is one. We are all in the boat, and if it sinks, no one escapes.”
alliance for peace
Regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, Lula said he had discussed the matter with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping. Brazil defended the need for countries opposed to the conflict to join in an alliance for peace, in which China and the United States will have great importance. According to the Brazilian president, the Asian country is willing to seek an end to the war, despite Brazil having left without a formal promise to create the group in favor of peace.
Lula said that the United States should stop “encouraging war” and suggested that the European Union and other countries start talking about peace. The Brazilian president asked for patience to convince the countries that are supplying weapons. With mutual “goodwill”, according to the Brazilian leader, it would be possible to convince the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that peace is in the interests of the entire planet.
“I think it is necessary that the European Union and the United States have goodwill, that Putin and Zelensky have goodwill for us to have peace in the world again. We often don’t need war. I think we are in a situation where both countries are having difficulty making decisions. When that happens, I think that third countries, which maintain good relations with the two, need to create the conditions for peace in the world. We don’t need war,” he declared.
