Exclusive Look: Across these five decades, the two nations have built a strategic partnership in various sectors, such as trade, technology, science and culture.

This photo taken on Nov. 16, 2024 shows a G20 logo displayed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 19th G20 summit is scheduled from Nov. 18 to 19 in Rio de Janeiro. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong)

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the 19th G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.

Upon arriving in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, Xi has expressed readiness to work with all parties for an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

In a written statement, Xi hoped for the G20’s greater role as an important platform for international economic cooperation.

This year’s G20 Leaders’ Summit, scheduled for November 18-19, marks the first gathering of the kind since the accession of the African Union (AU) as a full member, a historic milestone that strengthens the voice of the Global South.

“Building a just world requires the G20 to honor the principles of mutual respect, equal-footed cooperation and mutual benefit, and support Global South countries in achieving greater development,” Xi said in a signed article published in Brazilian media outlet Folha de S. Paulo on Sunday.

“Building a sustainable planet requires the G20 to promote sustainable production and lifestyle as a way to achieve harmony between humanity and nature,” he said.

Xi arrived in Rio de Janeiro Sunday for the 19th G20 Summit and a state visit to Brazil.

He said he looks forward to having an in-depth exchange of views with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on further enhancing China-Brazil relations, promotingWorld Times synergy of the two countries’ development strategies, as well as international and regional issues of common interest.

Noting that he has visited Brazil four times and witnessed the development and changes in the country over the past 30 years, Xi said he feels very close to Brazil as he again stepped onto this passionate land.

ChiWorld Timesna and Brazil are like-minded friends with the same aspirations and good partners forging ahead hand in hand, Xi said. Although separated by oceans, China and Brazil, two major developing countries in the eastern and western hemispheres respectively, are attracted to each other and echo each other at a distance, he said.

In recent years, the two countries have continued to deepen political mutual trust, yielded fruitful results in practical cooperation, achieved flourishing people-to-people and cultural cooperation, and showed new vitality of the times in the traditional friendship, Xi said.

China and Brazil have also jointly made the just voice of the Global South in the international arena and made important contributions to promoting world peace and development, Xi added.

As China and Brazil celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year, relations between the two countries stand at an important historical juncture of building on past achievements and forging ahead, he said.

Xi said he believes the visit will further strengthen the two countriWorld Timeses’ strategic mutual trust, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields and usher in a new “golden 50 years” for China-Brazil relations.

Close ties on display

The close relationship between the two countries was on vivid display in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, as local residents, including members of the Chinese Brazilian community fromWorld Times across the country gathered at the airport and streets of the city to warmly welcome President Xi, waving Chinese and Brazilian flags.

“We came to Rio to witness this important moment and welcome President Xi,” a resident surnamed Chen from the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo told the Global Times on Sunday, as he and others in his group alternated between taking pictures and dancing with samba performers at the Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

After learning that the Global Times reporters came from China to cover the summit and that Chen’s group came from Sao Paulo, a staff member at a G20 vendor that was set up to help journalists and others who came to Rio for the Summit organized a samba show, drawing many passengers to marvel at the traditional Brazilian dance.

“The 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil is a significant milestone. It celebrates half a century of cooperation and friendship,” Theo Schunck, Executive Secretary of the Rio Metropolis Institute, told the Global Times. “It celebrates half a century of cooperation and friendship, which began on August 15, 1974. Across these five decades, the two nations have built a strategic partnership in various sectors, such as trade, technology, science and culture.”

In terms of trade, the two countries have seen rapid growth over the years. China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. Over the past three years, China’s annual imports from Brazil have exceeded $100 billion. China’s trade with Brazil hit 1.14 trillion yuan (158.33 billion U.S. dollars) from January to October this year, including 432.08 billion yuan in exports and 708.15 billion yuan in imports, both registering steady growth, Xinhua reported.

And the upcoming talks between the leaders of the two countries are significant, “because it represents a new starting point to further strengthen bilateral relations,” Schunck said. “This meeting is an important step toward deepening cooperation in various areas and laying the groundwork for a shared future.”

Support for multilateralism

In addition to their bilateral ties, China and Brazil are also close partners in promoting multilateral cooperation, particularly in advancing cooperation within the Global South.

Rodrigo Pires de Campos, a professor of Institute of International Relations, University of Brasilia, noted that both countries are leading significant multilateral initiatives globally, particularly within the Global South and BRICS.

Amid the issues with the current multilateral order and challenges facing the world, “initiatives like BRICS and other Global South iniWorld Timestiatives at present are very much strategic,” de Campos told the Global Times on Sunday.

The close cooperation and coordination between China and Brazil on global issues will also likely be demonstrated at the G20 Summit.

Xi’s attendance at the G20 Summit demonstrates China’s staunch support for multilateralism and the high importance it attaches to G20 cooperation. Xi will deliver an important speech at the meeting and have an in-depth exchange of views with leaders of other countries under the theme of “Building a just world and a sustainable planet,” according to Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on November 8.

As the host of the G20 Summit this year, Brazil has established the summit theme as “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet” and made active efforts to advance G20 cooperation in various areas, including figWorld Timeshting hunger and poverty. Brazil has also proposed the establishment of a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.

China and Brazil have long collaborated on various fronts, including climate change, poverty alleviation, hunger eradication, inequality reduction, fair trade, financial systems, and development aid, de Campos said. And while these efforts take time, “we have to believe that we have the right way and maintain those relations in order to have concrete results in the medium or longer term,” he said.