To gain friendship and opportunities in China

From a young age, I lived in Recife, the state capital of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil, a city sharing a deep bond with China. My childhood image of China was shaped by watching Kung Fu movies. When I was nine, my father brought me to see two iconic Chinese Kung Fu films. The Kung Fu masters displayed a combination of elegance and strength in their movements, as they flawlessly executed their techniques with precision, agility, and intensity, evoking a sense of excitement within me. I was deeply attracted by Chinese Kung Fu and became full of curiosity and yearning for China.

After finishing my studies in Recife, I moved to Sao Paulo for work in 2013. There, I became friends with many Chinese people and experienced a very enjoyable time. I learned the Chinese language from them and often shared with them my thoughts on Chinese Kung Fu and culture. Out of my love for Chinese Kung Fu, I even gave myself a resounding Chinese name -- Li Xiaolong (Bruce Lee's Chinese name). As I delved deeper into learning Chinese, I changed my name to Li Zhuilong, signifying my aspirations of coming to China. I hoped that one day I could personally experience China's development and contribute to the friendship between Brazil and China.

The opportunity soon arrived. In 2015, driven by my love for Chinese history and culture, I began studying at the Confucius Institute at Sao Paulo State University. The rich Chinese language courses and cultural activities opened the door for me to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. With the support of a scholarship from the Confucius Institute, I had the opportunity to study the Chinese language at Hubei University in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, on two occasions -- in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

Lacerda Dantas Wagner poses for a picture in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo provided by Lacerda Dantas Wagner)

In Wuhan, a vibrant international city, I made friends with students from all over the world. Together, we practiced Chinese tea ceremonies, music, and calligraphy. We took high-speed trains to explore wondrous places like Zhangjiajie, a famous tourist destination in central China's Hunan Province, and experienced many unforgettable moments together. Through these cultural exchanges, I developed a broader perspective on the diversity of world civilizations.

On the recommendation of the Confucius Institute, I was fortunate to work at the Latin American office of China Media Group (CMG). Through news reports, I used my camera and pen to record many important moments, witnessing the increasingly close cooperation between Brazil and China, and the deepening friendship between the people of our two countries.

In September 2022, Recife passed a bill to include the Spring Festival into its official calendar, becoming the first city in Brazil to establish Chinese New Year as an official holiday.

Lacerda Dantas Wagner participates in the Hubei Province International Chinese Language Day 2024. (Photo provided by Lacerda Dantas Wagner)

In January 2023, I had the opportunity to return to my hometown to report on the Spring Festival celebrations. As the festive music played, the dance-loving Brazilian people joyfully moved to the rhythm. The walls of old buildings were transformed into canvases for light shows, eliciting cheers from the crowd. At the event, I served as a translator, proudly explaining Chinese culture to my fellow Brazilians.

That reporting experience left a lasting impression on me. I felt the exchanges between Brazilian and Chinese cultures and the deep friendship between our two peoples. The joyous and festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival was like a beam of light, illuminating all of our hearts.

In March 2023, I attended the launch ceremony of the Brazil-China Parliamentary Front and the BRICS Parliamentary Front in Brasília. At the event, I heard insightful views from multiple Brazilian and Chinese representatives, gaining a deeper understanding of the BRICS mechanism and South-South cooperation, terms often seen in news reports.

Lacerda Dantas Wagner and his mentor Zheng Zhongming pose for a picture with a piece of Chinese calligraphy. (Photo provided by Lacerda Dantas Wagner)

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Brazil and China. Over the past five decades, the political mutual trust and economic cooperation between the two countries have grown increasingly solid, while the tree of cultural exchanges has become ever more lush and fruitful. The two countries have jointly promoted the development of the BRICS mechanism and continuously deepened South-South cooperation. The ever-closer bilateral cooperation has not only provided opportunities for ordinary Brazilians like me to study in China but gathered strong momentum in maintaining world peace and development.

From pursuing my aspirations in China to witnessing historic moments through news reporting, the Chinese language has undoubtedly expanded the opportunities in my life. This beautiful language has helped me plant the seeds of dreams to reap friendship and opportunities. In my view, although Brazil and China are separated by vast oceans, the people of our two countries have developed a strong bond and deepened friendly exchanges through communication and mutual understanding.

My aspiration is to become a cultural envoy to foster people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the people of Brazil and China, sharing with the world the story of China's vibrant and flourishing development.

(Lacerda Dantas Wagner is a Brazilian student at Hubei University.)