Why betting on the East means Lula arrives in China surrounded by expectations

After participating in “Victory Day” , the emblematic Russian celebration of the Soviet victory over Nazi troops, President Lula (PT) leaves for China, where he will have his third state meeting with President Xi Jinping in this third term.

The government hopes to bring back bilateral agreements signed with its main trading partner. To this end, it has sent a large delegation, including the Minister of Planning, Simone Tebet; the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira; and Chancellor Mauro Vieira. The President of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP), is also on the list.

It is a reflection of “the density of the relationship” between Brazil and China, according to the Secretary for Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eduardo Paes Saboia.

“There is a task force, coordinated in part by Minister Rui Costa [Civil House] and in part by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank,” he declared. “ There is a mobilization of the entire Esplanade to intensify this relationship with China in the field of infrastructure, finance and science, technology and innovation.”

He pointed out that Brazil intends to attract Chinese investments for industrialization, technological training and energy transition projects.

The stage for these negotiations will be the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum , starting next Monday the 12th, in Beijing. Lula and Xi Jinping are likely to make a joint statement, and topics such as multilateralism, the defense of peace in the face of conflicts in the world and the reform of global governance institutions are likely to be on the agenda.

“We want to diversify our relationship, our export agenda to China, and diversify investments and partnerships,” added Saboia.

Trade war

Aware that President Donald Trump 's offensive is redefining the pieces on the trade chessboard, the Brazilian government has been adopting a conciliatory tone . In general, however, criticism is harsher towards Washington, with more favorable signals towards Beijing.

“Brazil and China have a much broader agenda than just the considerations of a specific situation, which is obviously a concern,” Saboia explained. According to him, the country also values ​​its relationship with Washington and there is no contradiction in the dialogues promoted with China.

Lula joins other international leaders in showing his concern about Trump's aggressive trade stance, but repeats his strategy in the face of great external tensions: he avoids fully committing to one side.

Neutrality, on the other hand, does not always set the tone. This week, in an interview published by the American New Yorker , Lula did not hide his appreciation for Beijing's technological and economic advances: “Thank God we have China, which, from a technological point of view, is very advanced and can compete in the technological world of artificial intelligence, giving us an alternative for this debate.”

Beijing eyes Brazilian soybeans

Also this week, before Lula's trip, Reuters reported that China had decided to resume shipments of Brazilian soybeans from five companies that had been suspended due to phytosanitary issues. The release comes at a time when tariffs adopted by Trump are distancing China from American soybean producers.

Together, these ingredients make the trip to China the most anticipated of Lula's third term. According to the Foreign Ministry, another 32 acts are expected to be converted into agreements, which would make it possible to have a full suitcase for the return to Brazil.