Xi holds talks with Brazilian president

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Tuesday.

Xi said that on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil last year, the two sides jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet.

He called on the two sides to vigorously advance the construction of a China-Brazil community with a shared future, continuously deepen the alignment of development strategies, and jointly promote strengthened solidarity and cooperation among Global South countries.

Xi stressed that China and Brazil should maintain strategic mutual trust, provide mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and strengthen exchange at all levels and in all respects.

He called on the two countries to expand cooperation, deepen the effective alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Brazil's development strategy, give full play to the role of the various cooperation mechanisms between the two countries, strengthen cooperation in traditional fields such as infrastructure, agriculture and energy, and expand new areas of cooperation in energy transition, aerospace, the digital economy and artificial intelligence.

He said that China and Brazil should enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges, provide more convenience for personnel exchanges between the two sides, and strengthen cooperation on culture, education, tourism, and media, and at the sub-national level.

He emphasized that the two sides should adhere to multilateral coordination. As the biggest developing country in the Eastern and Western hemispheres respectively, they should enhance coordination and cooperation within multilateral mechanisms, uphold multilateralism, improve global governance, maintain the international economic and trade order, and resolutely oppose unilateralism, protectionism and bullying, Xi added.

Brazil is willing to deepen strategic cooperation with China and promote the construction of a Brazil-China community with a shared future, Lula said.

Brazil stands ready to align its development strategy with the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance cooperation between the two countries in areas such as trade, infrastructure, aerospace and finance, Lula added. He also called on the two countries to expand exchange in areas of the youth and culture, and to enhance exchange and friendship between the two peoples.

Protectionism and tariff abuse cannot promote development and prosperity. Instead, they will lead to chaos. China's resolute stance in addressing global challenges gives strength and confidence to all countries, Lula noted, adding that Brazil is willing to strengthen strategic coordination with China in international affairs, work with China to safeguard the common interests of the Global South, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

At the Great Hall of the People, the two heads of state witnessed the signature of 20 cooperation documents covering the fields of development-strategy alignment, science and technology, agriculture, the digital economy, finance, inspection and quarantine, and media.

The two heads of state also met with the press together.

China and Brazil issued a joint statement on strengthening the construction of a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet, and on jointly upholding multilateralism, as well as a joint statement on the Ukraine crisis.

Prior to the talks, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, held a welcome ceremony for Lula and his wife, Rosangela Lula da Silva, at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People.

Xi and Peng also hosted a welcome banquet for Lula and his wife on Tuesday evening.