Brazil–China relations are the current and historical relationship between Brazil and China. Relations between Brazil and China began in the early nineteenth century and continued until 1949, when they were disrupted by the creation of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Diplomatic relations between the PRC and Brazil officially began in 1974 with agreement on the establishment and operation of Brazil's embassy in Beijing and China's embassy in Brasília.
The growing economic and political relationship between the two countries was confirmed by Lula's visit to China during his first term, which included 450 Brazilian business representatives. Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim noted that the growing relationship could be part of a ‘reconfiguration of the world's commercial and diplomatic geography’.
Both nations are members of BRICS, G20 and the United Nations.
History Early years Early undertakings involving Brazil and China were mediated by the mutual participation of Brazil and Macao in the Portuguese Empire. The first of these connections dates to 1812, when Queen Maria I of Portugal, then based in Brazil, imported Chinese laborers to work on a tea plantation near Rio de Janeiro. In 1900, a fresh wave of immigrants from China settled in São Paulo.Some Recent Features of Brazil-China Economic Relations CEBC.org, April 2009
In 1879, Admiral Arthur Silveira da Motta, Baron of Jaceguai and soon to be the first Brazilian envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary in Beijing, led a "naval mission" to China to established diplomatic relations, while another mission was sent to London to discuss Chinese immigration with China's diplomats there. Formal relations between the Empire of Brazil and the Qing Dynasty were established in September 1880 with the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation.
The Chinese refused, however, to permit Brazilians to hire Chinese as contract laborers, knowing that non-white laborers were treated "as machines or as cheap labour". The British were also opposed to the importation of Chinese labor to Brazil, believing it would inevitably result in de facto slavery. (Slavery in Brazil was only abolished in 1888.) Late in 1893, José de Costa Azevedo, Baron of Ladario, went to Beijing to negotiate a new treaty on immigration, but the Chinese were uninterested.Jeffrey Lesser, Negotiating National Identity: Immigrants, Minorities, and the Struggle for Ethnicity in Brazil (Durham & London: Duke University Press, 1999), p. 29.
Formal relations with the Republic of China ended following the Chinese Civil War (1927–50) and were only re-established with the People's Republic of China in 1974.
In 1993, Brazil and China signed a strategic partnership.
2000-present
In 2010 the second BRIC summit was held in Brazil, with proposals made for increased cooperation between Brazil and China on political and trade related issues as well as energy, mining, financial services and agriculture.
In 2004, Brazil and China established the China-Brazil High-Level Commission for Coordination and Cooperation (COSBAN). COSBAN serves as the primary mechanism for high-level dialogue between the two countries, and COSBAN's dialogues have often focused on energy and climate change action.
In an address to the Brazilian Congress on November 12, 2004, Chinese leader Hu Jintao said that ‘both Latin America and China have similar experiences in gaining national liberation, defending national independence and constructing the country’. Therefore, ‘both sides have the same feelings and common languages’. He said that ‘China-Latin American relations were expected to support each other in the political fields, strengthen economic complementarily, and carry out close cultural contacts’.
In 2009, Lula stated Brazil's commitment to the One China principle that is the position held by the People's Republic of China and the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), saying that the government of the People's Republic of China was the sole legal government representing the whole of China, including Taiwan—as part of China.
Between 2009 and 2014, the Brazil and China engaged in frequent and effective cooperation. Both countries joined the BASIC group at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in order to further coordinate negotiating positions on climate change issues. Subsequent bilateral climate change cooperation between Brazil and China was guided by the 2010 Joint Action Plan, which also emphasized environmental protection and energy security. In 2014, Brazil's economic crisis hampered its ability to fund bilateral initiatives and more broadly assert itself in international affairs; Brazil-China cooperation also declined.
Before his election as the President of Brazil in 2018, Jair Bolsonaro criticized China, stating, “China is not buying in Brazil, it is buying Brazil. Are we going to leave Brazil in the hands of the Chinese?“ As President however, Bolsonaro's approach to China was generally pragmatic and avoided confrontation. Brazil remained the main destination for Chinese investment in South America during the Bolsonaro presidency.
In August 2019, China defended Brazil from Western criticism of the 2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires, with the Chinese Ambassador to Brazil describing the criticism as a "bit fabricated". This led to thanks from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who described it as "a grand gesture that strengthened us a lot."
In October 2019, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro paid an official visit to China. He met Chinese leader and CCP general secretary Xi Jinping.
During the second presidency of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's foreign policy goals included "relaunching" the Brazil–China relationship. Lula visited China during the 2023 Brazil–China summit. Lula met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and signed 15 memoranda of understanding and 20 agreements on a wide range of issues. The summit included discussion of how Brazil and China could play a mediating role in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Lula also attended the inauguration of Dilma Rousseff as President of the BRICS Bank in Shanghai. “Nobody can stop Brazil from continuing to develop its relationship with China,” said President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during his 2023 visit to Beijing. This was taken as a reference to the United States."Lula tells Xi ‘nobody can stop’ Brazil-China relationship," The Washington Post.
In January 2024, Lula reaffirmed to CCP's foreign chief Wang Yi his recognition of China's policy of "one China", under which China claims Taiwan. In June 2024, Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin visited China for extensive talks with officials and business leaders. He has signed a number of trade agreements on sustainable development, agriculture, and infrastructure. On June 7 he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In October 2024, Brazil opted against joining the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Taiwan
Brazil follows the one China principle, and recognizes government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China and Taiwan as "an inalienable part" of China. Brazil also supports all efforts by the PRC to "achieve peaceful national reunification".
Trade and investment
In 1978, Brazil and China signed their first modern trade agreement, which led to trade in energy resources, agricultural products, and raw materials.
Brazil and China both participate in the multi-lateral group Forum Macao, which China formed in 2003 to increase economic and commercial cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries.
China became Brazil's largest trading partner in 2009.Malcolm Moore, China overtakes the US as Brazil's largest trading partner, The Telegraph, 9 May 2009 Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and many in the Brazilian media consider China to be "Brazil's most promising business partner and a strategic ally" due to China's "rapidly rising demand for raw materials and agricultural produce".Economic Relations between Brazil and China: A Difficult Partnership Friedrich Ebert Foundation, January 2006 Bilateral trade grew from US$6.7 billion in 2003 to US$36.7 billion in 2009.In Brazil, Hu Jintao aims for bigger piece of Latin America trade Christian Science Monitor, 15 April 2010
China and Brazil cooperate economically on quite some mutual beneficial projects such as the already in 1988 preparations for a joint project to construct the China–Brazil Earth Resources Satellite program, which in 1999 and 2002 successfully constructed two satellites providing key information on (new sources of) natural resources. Secondly, an International Satellite Communications company (INSCOM) was set up as a joint venture.
Other projects in the range of the Earth Resources Satellite are the construction of Porto do Açu near Rio de Janeiro, Vitória and Campos dos Goytacazes, which can handle Chinamax containerships to import and export raw materials and manufactures vice versa. Other major important infrastructure investment are the construction of a continental pipeline, roads and high speed trains.
Chinese investment in Brazil takes strategic approaches and does so in strategic areas to consolidate China's role in the Brazilian economy, this creates economic leverage, expands the zone of influence of Chinese companies in Brazil and increases interdependence. Chinese investments in Brazil are concentrated mainly in the energy, mining, steel and oil industries.
In 2010, despite the generally friendly and close relationship, Brazil was one of the few emerging economies to publicly criticise China's policy in relation to the so-called Currency war. Brazil has called for China to allow a faster appreciation of its currency, which would help other countries to better compete against Chinese exports. Brazil also criticised US policy, saying both China and the US should seek to avoid escalating economic tension concerning trade and currency.
Brazil and China are members of an economic organization called BRICS, also consisting of Russia, India, and South Africa. China contributes 41% of the total operating budget. Brazil contributes 18% of the operating budget. China and Brazil are part of a greater goal, to increase trade among rising and developing markets.
Trade between China and Brazil was worth almost 80 billion US Dollars as of 2014. China is expanding economic ties into Latin America, and Brazil falls into that category. China is investing a Brazilian electric transmission line from the Amazon, as well as importing Brazilian planes and beef. China and Brazil, both members of BRICS, are competing for influence in Latin America. Brazil is considered a regional powerhouse in Latin America. China seeks more access to raw materials from Latin American countries such as Argentina and Venezuela to fuel their manufacturing economy.
In November 2015, several steel organizations from Brazil, along with Mexico, the European Union, and the United States advocated that countries doing business with China should evaluate their trading behavior before accepting China as a market economy. In 2016, Brazil remained neutral in the China World Trade Organization debate, and their market status in metal sector. China has put up challenges to those who question their market economy. China has been investigated for dumping their exports into Brazilian market.