Brazilian president speaks highly of Brazil-China relations, BRICS cooperation

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife receive flowers presented by children from the Shanghai Children's Palace of the China Welfare Institute and pose for a photo with them upon arrival in Shanghai, east China, April 12, 2023. (Xinhua/Gao Feng)

SHANGHAI, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The cooperation between Brazil and China is on solid ground, and the relationship between the two countries is extraordinary, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said here Thursday.

Lula, who is on a state visit to China, said China plays a very important role in the cause of global development and peace, and that he will strive to promote the development of the Brazil-China comprehensive strategic partnership in his term.

Lula spoke highly of Brazil-China relations and BRICS cooperation. "Friendship is like a bottle of wine, the older, the better," he said, quoting a Brazilian proverb.

Lula attended the inauguration ceremony of the new president of the New Development Bank (NDB), Dilma Rousseff, former Brazilian President, at the bank's headquarters in Pudong, Shanghai on Thursday.

He spoke highly of BRICS cooperation and placed high hopes on the development prospects of the NDB.

The NDB is the product of a partnership among BRICS countries with a view to create a world with less poverty, less inequality and more sustainability, which is very different from the traditional banks dominated by developed countries, he said.

The NDB is a multilateral development bank established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in 2015. It mobilizes resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies and developing countries. Since its establishment, the NDB has approved 98 projects, with the total investment amounting to 33.2 billion U.S. dollars.

"For a long time, developing countries have had a dream to create their own investment and financing tools. The New Development Bank has realized such a dream, for it really knows what developing countries need and where they need to invest," said Lula.

He added that the NDB has the qualities to become one of the largest banks for Southern countries, and has great potential in improving the situation of developing countries.

As agreed between China and Brazil, Lula is paying a state visit to China from April 12 to 15. He arrived in Shanghai Wednesday night.

The Brazilian president also visited Huawei's Shanghai branch and met representatives from Chinese enterprises on Thursday. He left Shanghai for Beijing Thursday night to continue his visit in China.