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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Brazil’s Lula plans relationship with China |
| 2004-05-12 |
Wednesday, May 12, 2004 Posted: 10:26 AM EDT (1426 GMT) BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) -- Brazil’s President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said on Tuesday his nation planned to form a "strategic relationship" with China in areas like technology and defense. If that "strategic relationship" includes the export of processed fissile material, Brazil had better be prepared for an economic boycott or worse. Lula, Brazil’s first elected leftist president, made the comments ahead of a May 23-27 state visit to China. "The two countries are determined that relations are strategic relations, not only based on trade, but on technology, defense and culture," Lula told reporters. Since Lula took power 16 months ago, he has made 29 trips abroad and gained a name as a spokesman for developing nations. His foreign minister, Celso Amorim, has led poor nations against rich nations’ farm subsidies in global trade talks. Lula said he hoped the China relationship would help Brazil gain a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He saw closer ties with China and nations like India, South Africa and Russia aiding Brazil’s battle to break down farm subsidies that price its farm products out of some markets. "Brazil has sufficient force alongside these partners, to speak on equal terms with those that always determined trade logic in the economic world," Lula said. U.S. pressure for a slowdown in the Chinese economy to prevent it overheating should not hurt relations with Brazil, Lula said. Ship them some of your advanced centrifuges that have 30% better efficiency and let’s see who starts to "overheat." China represents a major market for Brazilian farm exports and is set to be Brazil’s No. 2 trading partner in 2004. Lula said the Chinese hoped to invest in Brazilian infrastructure projects, agribusiness and areas like space exploration and technology. Some 421 businessmen, five state governors and eight ministers of state will accompany Lula to China. - EMPHASIS ADDED - Who’s paying for that massive political junket? A trip to China for 435 people should rack up a cool million pretty easily. |
| Posted by:Zenster |
| #1 Brazil is an arms exporter, and China needs another supplier besides Russia. Besides, there is reportedly already a discreet relationship. This just brings trade into it. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-05-12 7:32:17 PM |