President Xi Jinping arrives in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to attend the 19th G20 Summit and for a state visit to Brazil. LI XUEREN/XINHUA
President Xi Jinping arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday for a trip to Brazil expected to usher in a new "golden 50 years" for China-Brazil relations.
Xi, who just wrapped up a trip to Peru, will attend the 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro and pay a state visit to Brazil.
In written remarks delivered upon his arrival at the airport, Xi said the China-Brazil relationship is now at a critical historical juncture as the two nations celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.
"I have made four visits to Brazil before and witnessed firsthand the development and changes in the nation over the past 30 years. Stepping onto this land of hospitality once more makes me feel particularly warm," he said.
China and Brazil are good friends and partners sharing common aspirations in their shared paths forward, Xi said, adding that the two nations, despite oceans apart, have appealed to and resonated with each other.
Xi expressed expectations that he will conduct an in-depth exchange of opinions with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva over further elevating bilateral ties, and stepping up alignment in development strategies and in international and regional issues of common concern.
People welcome President Xi Jinping as he arrives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. LI YAN/XINHUA
In a signed article published in Brazilian media outlet Folha de S. Paulo on Sunday, Xi called on China and Brazil, as major developing countries in the eastern and western hemispheres, respectively, to jointly set sail on a voyage toward a brighter shared future.
Brazil was the first country to establish a strategic partnership with China and the first in Latin America to enter into a comprehensive strategic partnership with China.
Xi said that the China-Brazil relationship, as a forerunner in the relations between China and fellow developing nations, has established a model for major developing countries to develop win-win cooperation and pursue a shared future.
"Today's world is undergoing an accelerating transformation unseen in a century. New challenges and new changes continue to arise," he said in the article, urging the two countries to "unite more closely, row hardest and advance most bravely".
According to Xi, China and Brazil value mutual benefit and promote synergy between their comparative strengths as they work hand in hand to advance respective modernization.
China has been Brazil's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years and is a major source of foreign investment in Brazil. According to statistics from the Chinese side, China's annual imports from Brazil in the past three years have stayed above$100 billion.
"Thanks to our joint efforts, the structure of trade is becoming increasingly optimized, the level of cooperation is improving, and the scope of shared interests is expanding," Xi wrote.
Noting that the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Brazil has no shortage of bright spots, he said fruitful outcomes across various areas have greatly promoted the economic and social progress in both countries.
Local residents wave at the motorcade of President Xi Jinping as he heads to the airport in Lima, Peru, on Sunday. Xi arrived in Brazil later on Sunday for the 19th G20 Summit and a state visit. BI XIAOYANG/XINHUA
