Brazilian website Carta Capital published an article titled "How Brazil views China?" on December 9. "By Janaina Silveira, a Brazilian journalist who worked in China from 2007 to 2013 and has worked on the relationship between China and Pakistan. Brazil can learn from China's experience in many ways, the article said. The article is excerpted as follows:
China and Brazil are now at the stage of the greatest integration since the establishment of diplomatic relations 46 years ago. But at least on the Brazilian side, some of the uncertainty and conflict caused by the "ideological wing" of Mr Bossonaro's government has undermined the dialogue.
An example of complementarity between Brazil and China is Brazil's soyabean exports to China. In the first 11 months of the year, exports rose 8 per cent to $20.9bn, while exports rose 10 per cent to 60m tonnes. Moreover, Brazilian iron ore exports benefited from China, where novel Coronavirus was effectively controlled and the economy was already showing strong signs of recovery.
Any Chinese reaction could cause Brazil's exports to collapse. Nevertheless, Let me reiterate that foreign trade should not be central to China's strategy.
China is now leading the race for COVID-19 vaccines and 5G networks. In the areas of health and technology, Brazil has huge needs. As a great power, it is wise for us to view China in a more respectful and diversified way. That option should not include banning Huawei 5G, nor should it include the Bossonaro administration not talking to the Chinese ambassador to Brazil.
In this century's worst outbreak, vaccines could help solve public health problems. While 5G technology can bring more convenience and reduce the cost of network construction, 5G implementation is also important to improve Brazil's industrial productivity and competitiveness. Today, Huawei is responsible for more than 40 percent of the equipment in Brazil's 3G and 4G networks that will be needed to support future 5G.
In this case, if the biggest buyer of Brazilian goods decides to freeze orders or retaliate against Brazil, it's not just our commodities that are at risk. It's that we miss the opportunity to rethink our relationship with a developing country whose achievements can provide inspiration for Brazil.
In recent years, China has achieved the goal of lifting 100 million people out of poverty, a task that Brazil still needs to accomplish. And China, a country that has lifted almost 800m people out of poverty in 40 years, could guide Brazil's public policy.
China is also a major investor in Brazil, investing mainly in sectors such as infrastructure and energy. Between 2007 and 2018, Chinese investment in Brazil was $58bn, according to the Brazil-China Council of Entrepreneurs. Indeed, when it comes to investment, there is a need to see China as the engine of the new global financial system, such as the China-led BRICS New Development Bank.
There are many other good examples. For example, in the field of technology and digital economy, China is a new holy land. This is similar to Brazil, where income inequality is high and mobile phones, social networks and the Internet are heavily used.
