Op-Ed Contributors

A journey worth celebrating

By Antonio De Aguiar Patriota (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-03-05 07:48

China and Brazil have to maintain close contact and raise their strategically relevant partnership to the highest level

One of the most noteworthy features of the contemporary world is the impressive development of relationships among emerging countries. I have been following the Sino-Brazilian relationship for more than 20 years, ever since I was posted as second secretary in the Brazilian embassy in Beijing in the late 1980s. I have thus witnessed the continuous expansion of bilateral relations, from the establishment of the Strategic Partnership in 1993 to the launching of the Joint Action Plan in 2010.

The Brazilian and Chinese governments have more than enough reasons to celebrate such a successful journey, a journey that continues, of course, as this year promises to be very eventful for bilateral ties.

Next month, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will visit China for a thorough examination of the bilateral agenda with President Hu Jintao and to participate in the third BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit. More high-level visits are being planned for this year as the two countries strengthen cooperation in many fields, with particular attention to investment, science and technology, and innovation.

The Sino-Brazilian dialogue has solid foundations, allowing the two governments to actively cooperate on matters of global interest such as the reform of the multilateral architecture, promotion of poverty alleviation, advancement of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and the fight against climate change. Among the victims of the tragic earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010, we can find Brazilian and Chinese citizens, who lost their lives to help a country in grave difficulty.

On my first visit to Beijing as Brazilian foreign minister (from March 2 to 4), I was very honored to meet with Premier Wen Jiabao, and I look forward to working closely with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to intensify our political dialogue, aimed at enlarging the strategic consensus between our countries, which is already considerable.

I will continue to work closely with Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, too, to promote our pragmatic cooperation and prepare for the next meeting of the Sino-Brazilian High Level Coordination and Cooperation Committee, to be held in Brazil.

In addition to preparing for President Rousseff's visit to China, my meetings in Beijing covered a broad range of topics. As important international events approach, especially the G20 Summit in Cannes and the Rio+20 environmental conference, Brazil and China must maintain close contact and hold in-depth consultations on the future of world governance.

From Brazil's point of view, the upcoming BRICS Summit will provide an opportunity to enhance coordination among its members and launch new cooperation initiatives. The inclusion of South Africa in the group has increased its political weight and added to our discussions the valuable perspective of an important African country.

Last year, Brazil received a significant amount of investment from Chinese companies, and bilateral trade reached a record $56.3 billion. It is safe to say that trade figures will continue to grow in the coming years, given the size of the Brazilian and Chinese economies and their complementarity.

Balancing the composition of trade, however, remains a challenge. The two governments need to listen to the concerns of the private sector and support companies that strive to place their products or find new markets or opportunities. The same applies to investments. I praise the fact that communication channels between Brazil and China are constantly open and that we can discuss every subject in a constructive manner, always aiming at a better understanding of each other's position and never forgetting the strategic core of our relationship.

Science and technology, and innovation are key areas of bilateral cooperation. From the pioneering remote sensing satellite program, which is still important, Brazil and China are broadening their cooperation to encompass new areas.

The China-Brazil Center for Climate Change and Energy Technology Innovation, a partnership between Tsinghua University and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, started operation last year with funds provided by both countries. A joint team of Brazilian and Chinese engineers will soon start building an enzymatic biodiesel pilot plant.

The cooperation between the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation and the Chinese Academy of Agrarian Sciences are bearing fruit with the creation of a joint laboratory for agricultural research. In space science, the Brazilian Institute of Space Research and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are building an important partnership.

The area of academic and media exchanges, to which I attach great importance, is making visible progress. In recent months, Brazil has received many distinguished Chinese intellectuals and opinion-makers.

We always pay close attention to the views of our guests on how to build a modern and vibrant relationship, compatible with the challenges of a rapidly evolving international reality. Brazil welcomes the inauguration of China Central Television's regional office in Sao Paulo, the first of its kind in Latin America.

The main message that I had the honor of conveying in Beijing is that both countries must spare no effort to explore the whole potential of their relationship. The extent of our cooperation already includes numerous public agencies and therefore demands an overall coordinated effort. This is important to ensure that specific issues and topics are viewed in the broader context of the Strategic Partnership between Brazil and China.

The Joint Action Plan, conceived and approved at the highest level by the two countries, provides the guidance and the institutional framework for the development of the Sino-Brazilian relationship.

I am confident that Brazil and China will continue to deepen their political dialogue and mutual trust in the coming years, and raise their partnership to an even higher level. The most important element for that is already present, which is a clear conscience of the strategic relevance of Sino-Brazilian relations for both countries in an emerging multipolar world.

The author is Brazilian minister of external relations.