Xi meets Brazilian vice-president

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping met with Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin in Beijing on Friday.

Xi said China and Brazil are like-minded good friends, and good partners walking hand in hand. "In April last year, President Lula and I reached an important consensus on leading and opening up the new future of China-Brazil relations in the new era."

With joint efforts in the past year, the two countries have continuously deepened strategic mutual trust, steadily advanced pragmatic cooperation, and closely coordinated on the international stage. This has not only promoted their respective development, but effectively safeguarded the common interests of all developing countries, Xi said.

Both as major developing countries and key emerging market economies, China and Brazil share broad and common strategic interests, and their relationship goes far beyond the bilateral scope to have exemplary significance for promoting solidarity and cooperation among developing countries as well as world peace and stability, Xi said.

By grasping the strategic nature of their ties, the two countries should make the ties more mutually beneficial and comprehensive, continue to enhance strategic coordination, and add new dimensions to the China-Brazil friendship, Xi said.

He said that China is willing to work with Brazil to continue to make strategic plans for bilateral relations with more forward-looking vision, give full play to the role of the China-Brazil High-level Coordination and Cooperation Committee, consolidate cooperation in traditional areas, expand cooperation in emerging fields such as green economy, digital economy and innovation, and explore greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Brazil's reindustrialization strategy and the "Routes for South American Integration" initiative.

As the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, they should strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including legislative bodies, political parties, local governments, culture, education, tourism and youth, Xi said.

China backs Brazil's greater role on the international stage and its hosting of the G20 Leaders' Summit this year. China is also ready to enhance communication with Brazil and other members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States for further development of China-Latin America relations in the new era, Xi added.

Alckmin conveyed President Lula's cordial greetings to President Xi. He said that in recent years, hundreds of millions of Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty, which is a miracle in the world, and the relevant experience is of great significance for Brazil.

Alckmin said the Brazilian government is committed to inclusive and sustainable growth and is willing to enhance the synergy of development strategies with China.

Brazil welcomes more Chinese companies to invest in Brazil and enhance cooperation in infrastructural construction, agriculture, mining, new energy vehicles and climate change response, he said.

Both Brazil and China are committed to upholding multilateralism and free trade, share the same views on many major issues, and enjoy huge potential and broad prospects for cooperation, Alckmin noted.

He added that Brazil is willing to work with China to enhance bilateral and multilateral strategic coordination, upgrade bilateral relations to a new level, and make contributions to building a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.