RIO DE JANEIRO, April 17 -- Cooperation between Brazil's mining giant Vale and Chinese enterprises is a "win-win situation," the company's senior executive told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Jose Carlos Martins, executive director of Ferrous Minerals Operations and Marketing at Vale, said, "I would say that Vale's ties with China are very positive, it is a win-win situation."

He added that Vale hopes to expand the relationship further. "We do not see China just as a market, we see it as an opportunity for investment and partnership, and also as a source of equipment and raw materials for our operations."

The company -- the world's leading iron ore producer -- plans to make significant investments in production in the coming years, mostly to meet the demand of China, Vale's largest client in the iron ore trade, Martins said.

"The investments include acquisition of equipment and products from China. So that also favors China," he said, adding that Vale has purchased many ships and wagons from the Asian country.

Vale has also been developing a "green" variety of iron ore that requires less coal to be processed and releases less pollution into the atmosphere.

"We are developing this product here at Vale and we hope to make a contribution to the matter of the environmental with a more environmentally-friendly product," he said.

On future potential for cooperation, Martins said he believes there is "room for more industrial integration between Brazil and China beyond iron ore and exports."

"Brazil must appeal to the Chinese consumer as Chinese products that come to Brazil were adapted to Brazilians' tastes," he said.

He cited the biggest obstacle to Brazil-China trade as the physical distance between the two countries, among other such challenges as different cultures and less exchanges between them.

"Better cultural exchange can be positive for trade as well," he said, voicing hope that frequent high-level exchanges of visits will help boost trade ties and reduce misunderstandings."