Over three months after Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Workers’ Party) and Xi Jinping raised the level of Brazil-China diplomatic relations, the measure appears to be flourishing. This is because economic and social rapprochement has been occurring between various sectors of the two countries, as was the case with the Conference on Economic and Commercial Exchange and Cooperation.
Organized by the Shandong province’s government and held in São Paulo, the event brought together Chinese and Brazilian businesspeople from different sectors, as well as authorities such as Shandong’s vice-governor, Song Junji, and Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro.
The Brazilian government minister was among the authorities who mentioned the agreements signed by Xi and Lula during the summit in Brasilia, Brazil’s capital, in November last year, stressing that the two countries want to make progress in the food sector, industry and mining.
“We need concrete measures to strengthen good diplomatic and commercial relations,” said Fávaro, calling for urgency in the regional context and cooperation within the BRICS.
“I’m sure that at times like these of geopolitical instability, the strengthening of the BRICS, the Global South, and Brazil-China relationship will be solid points for world stability,” he said. The vice-governor of Shandong also mentioned the agreements signed by Xi and Lula last year, which served to create the so-called Brazil-China Shared Future Community for a Fairer World and a More Sustainable Planet, a diplomatic term that elevated the status of the relationship between the countries.
For Song Junji, it is necessary to “Deepen cooperation to build a fairer world and a more sustainable planet”.
“[Shandong is] one of China’s most developed coastal provinces. President Xi has given us the mission of being at the forefront of this relationship with Brazil for sustainable, high-quality development,” he said.
Potentialities
If in the diplomatic sphere the two countries’ statements seem to be in tune, from an economic point of view both the government and the private sector are trying to get closer. At the conference, businesspeople from all sectors offered consultancy, technology, infrastructure, inputs, and various manufacturers. In return, they seek out a market and understand how Brazilian business works.
Shandong has plenty of industrial and financial resources. The region is the 4th largest exporter to China in 2024, and the 6th largest importer. From 2023 to 2024, the province grew by 6% and is undergoing a process of industrial renewal.
In the last year, the number Shandong-based high-tech companies exceeded 35,000 and there are over 50,000 tech start-ups. The Chinese province has 350 shipping routes, the largest cargo volume in China, and has been the country’s largest exporter of agricultural products for 26 consecutive years.
In 2023, Shandong’s economy reached a GDP of 9.2 trillion yuan (over US$1,2 trillion), making it China’s third-largest economy. All this growth has led the South China Morning Post to classify the region as having a “key role” in Beijing’s plans.
Brazil and Shandong
If in the diplomatic sphere the two countries’ statements seem to be in tune, from an economic point of view both the government and the private sector are trying to get closer. At the conference, businesspeople from all sectors offered consultancy, technology, infrastructure, inputs, and various manufacturers. In return, they seek out a market and understand how Brazilian business works.
Shandong has plenty of industrial and financial resources. The region is the 4th largest exporter to China in 2024, and the 6th largest importer. From 2023 to 2024, the province grew by 6% and is undergoing a process of industrial renewal.
In the last year, the number of Shandong-based high-tech companies exceeded 35,000 and there are over 50,000 tech start-ups. The Chinese province has 350 shipping routes, the largest cargo volume in China, and has been the country’s largest exporter of agricultural products for 26 consecutive years.
In 2023, Shandong’s economy reached a GDP of 9.2 trillion yuan (over US$1,2 trillion), making it China’s third-largest economy. All this growth has led the South China Morning Post to classify the region as having a “key role” in Beijing’s plans.
