BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that China and Brazil could set an example of “unity and self-reliance” for the Global South, state media reported on Tuesday.
In recent months, the two leaders have sought to present their countries as strong defenders of the multilateral trading system, in stark contrast with US President Donald Trump’s tariff onslaught.
In a phone call with Lula, Xi said China would “work with Brazil to set an example of unity and self-reliance among major countries in the Global South” and “jointly build a more just world and more sustainable planet”, state news agency Xinhua reported.
The Chinese President also said that “all countries should unite and firmly oppose unilateralism and protectionism”, Xinhua reported — a thinly veiled reference to US tariffs.
Xi told Lula that China-Brazil ties were “at their best in history” and the “alignment” of the two countries’ development strategies was making “smooth progress”, Xinhua reported.
“Xi also said that China backs the Brazilian people in defending their national sovereignty and supports Brazil in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, urging all countries to unite in resolutely fighting against unilateralism and protectionism,” Xinhua said.
A statement by the Brazilian presidency said that the phone call lasted about an hour.
During the phone conversation, Lula and Xi discussed efforts to negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine and combating climate change. They also committed to expanding cooperation to sectors such as health, oil and gas, the digital economy and satellites, the presidency said in a statement.
“Both presidents also emphasised their willingness to continue identifying new business opportunities between the two economies,” Lula’s office said.
“Both agreed on the role of the G20 and BRICS in defending multilateralism,” the statement said.
Lula also reiterated the importance of China for the success of the COP30 world climate conference in November in Belem, Brazil, his office said.
The two leaders held the discussion as United States President Donald Trump’s trade salvoes are spurring calls for greater cooperation among emerging economies, including China and Brazil.
The phone call came after Lula said in an interview with the Reuters news agency last week that he planned to contact the leaders of the 10-member BRICS group, which includes India and China, to discuss the possibility of a coordinated response to US tariffs.
Trump last month announced a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods, and on Monday, he signed an executive order extending a pause on a 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods until November.
China surpassed the US as Brazil’s largest trading partner in 2009, with two-way trade last year reaching $188.17bn.
