Anadolu Agency

BRASÍLIA – Brazil and China signed a raft of agreements at a signing ceremony in the Brazilian capital, Brasília, on Thursday, that was attended by presidents Dilma Rousseff and Xi Jinping.

Among the 32 agreements signed are contracts for the sale of 40 airliners by Brazilian manufacturer Embraer to China’s Tianjin Airlines, and 20 E-190 jets to ICBC Leasing.

China also signed commitments to a number of huge infrastructure projects in Brazil, including the building of a new intelligent, digital city in Tocantins state, and the installation of transmission cables to Brazil’s controversial Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, on the Xingu River.

“Your visit to Brazil marks fortieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries: the result could not be more positive and the future could not be more promising,” Rousseff said at the ceremony at the presidential Planalto Palace.

Rousseff hailed the two countries’ working partnership in the face of recent challenging economic conditions.

President Xi stressed that cooperation would be redoubled, particularly in the strategic business areas of oil, power supplies, agriculture and infrastructure building, particularly roads.

Greater cooperation and trust

Xi said China and Brazil would “strengthen ties” to unprecedented levels, including by “increasing the level of ministerial exchanges between our two countries to build greater understanding and deepen mutual trust.”

The Chinese leader promised greater financial support for scientific innovation and greater cooperation generally in the area.

Technology featured high on the list of agreements signed, including satellite communications and the sharing of remote communications technology to help, in part, with monitoring project to protect the Amazon rainforest.

A simplification of the granting of business visas between the world’s two biggest developing economies was also announced.

The two countries signed a number of agreements of association between Chinese and Brazilian universities, and will boost student exchanges and Chinese language classes.

Xi’s state visit to Brazil comes after the Sixth BRICS Summit of leading emerging economies – made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South America – concluded Wednesday with a working session also attended by 11 South American leaders.

The BRICS announced the creation of a US$100 billion New Development Bank and a further $100bn currency fund.

Brazil is the first leg of a Latin American trip by Xi, who will later also visit to Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba.