By Anadolu staff
ANKARA (AA) - Chinese Premier Li Qiang met Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to discuss a variety of issues, including relations and economic cooperation, Chinese media reported Sunday.
Li, who arrived Saturday in Rio to attend a BRICS Summit, met Lula later in the day, state-run Xinhua News reported.
China is willing to expand cooperation with Brazil in the digital economy, green economy, sci-tech innovation and aerospace, said Li.
He observed that China-Brazil relations are in their best shape ever, with both working to build a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more "just world and a more sustainable planet."
Beijing, he added, is willing to work with Brazil to further consolidate and deepen cooperation in trade, finance and infrastructure development under the framework of Belt and Road cooperation.
The two countries, he said, should ensure the success of the China-Brazil Year of Culture in 2026; step up cooperation in education, youth, health care and other areas; further facilitate people-to-people exchanges and strengthen public support for China-Brazil friendship and cooperation.
Depicting both countries as “staunch” supporters of multilateralism and free trade, Li said China is willing to enhance communication and coordination with Brazil within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, BRICS and the G20; work in unity with developing countries to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization; and provide more certainty and stability for the world.
China supports Brazil hosting the UN Climate Change Conference in Belem (COP30) later this year, Li said.
Lula, in return, said that Brazil is ready to promote exchanges and cooperation with China in the economy and trade, science and technology, finance, and aerospace, in addition to climate change.
Brazil, he added, is willing to deepen multilateral communication and coordination with China, jointly oppose unilateralism and uphold multilateralism and free trade so as to promote world peace and development.
Later, the two witnessed the signing of cooperation documents for fiscal and financial affairs, artificial intelligence, development strategies alignment and aerospace.
*Writing by Aamir Latif