What does Brazil expect from Li's visit?

The world has been free of a bipolar system for two and half decades, mainly because the second-most powerful economy has refrained from engaging in a power game. This shows China prefers to be seen as "the most successful developing economy".

Yet one sees China flexing its muscles in the international arena in a quiet but active way. Be it to try alternative ways - such as eschewing its traditional bias toward the US Treasury bonds - to maintain the real value of its foreign exchange reserves or to look for higher returns on investments elsewhere, or for sheer geopolitical reasons, China has become a major player both as a source of and destination for direct investment.

This is true for investments in other BRICS states - as, for instance, is expected during Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Brazil - or in non-BRICS states, as illustrated by the recent agreement with Argentina, as well as those in other Latin American and African countries.