China welcomes Brazil’s entry into Belt and Road family as soon as possible: spokesperson

China and Brazil are each other’s comprehensive strategic partners. China welcomes Brazil’s desire to join the Belt and Road family as soon as possible, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

During an interview, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that Brazil hopes to have a new strategic partnership with China that involves cooperation in science, technology and production of chips and software and that will make the Brazil-China relationship “infinitely greater” and more prosperous.

Lula said that China is an essential partner for Brazil’s economic growth and scientific and technological development and a partner that Brazil will always take into consideration, and that Brazil hopes to work with China in the fight against hunger.

He also said China wants to discuss the Belt and Road and is willing to discuss it with China. “I want to know where we are going to enter, what position we are going to play,” Lula said, adding that “we want to be starters.”

In response to a related question, spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily press briefing that China has followed the reports on the speech. China and Brazil are major developing countries, important emerging economies and comprehensive strategic partners.

“China attaches great importance to its relationship with Brazil, and this relationship has always been a priority in Chinese diplomacy,” he added.

China stands ready to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to work for greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Brazil’s development strategies such as the New Industry Brazil, and for high-level and high-quality comprehensive practical cooperation between the two countries, so as to better benefit the two peoples and contribute more to the development and prosperity of the world, Mao said.

“Brazil is the country of football. China welcomes Brazil into the Belt and Road family as soon as possible and expects world-class Brazilian goals in the Belt and Road cooperation,” Mao said.

Source: Xinhua