China and Brazil have vowed to strengthen cooperation in multiple sci-tech fields including e-commerce, information and communication technology (ICT), energy and outer space exploration, according to a joint statement issued on Friday during Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's state visit to China.

Scientific and technological innovation plays a strategic role in economic development and competitiveness in China and Brazil, according to the statement, and the two countries agreed to encourage exchanges between their respective entrepreneurial ecosystems, establish joint research, development and innovation centers, and work on related projects.

They also reaffirmed their readiness to work together on renewable energy, energy transformation and energy efficiency improvement, in particular on bio-energy, hydrogen energy and sustainable aviation fuel, to better promote the use of clean energy and facilitate the research and development of decarbonization technology.

'Great potential' in ICT cooperation

China and Brazil see great potential for ICT cooperation and investment, and have agreed to create mechanisms to facilitate the establishment of joint ventures and technological partnerships in the field, said the statement.

In a slew of newly-signed memorandums of understanding, which were "highly appreciated" by both countries, China and Brazil vowed to strengthen cooperation on ICT and the ICT industry. They also encouraged communication between the two countries' private and public players in the field.

On Thursday, President Lula visited a research center operated by China's tech giant Huawei in Shanghai, where the president said he has talked a lot with Huawei. The Chinese telecommunications company has been operating in Brazil for 25 years.

Further space cooperation

China and Brazil share a long history of space technology cooperation.

Tracing back to July 1988, the two countries signed an agreement to set up the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS) program, which saw the first satellite sent in 1999.

The CBERS program has been hailed as a model for South-South cooperation in the space industry.

The two countries are also engaged in the BINGO radio telescope project, which is dedicated to the research of dark matter and now under construction in Brazil.

In the joint statement, China and Brazil reaffirmed their willingness to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space.

It said the two countries will speed up the development of the CBERS-06 satellite, deepen the project planning for the CBERS-05 satellite, and expand cooperation in lunar and deep-space exploration.

All activities in the peaceful use of outer space, including deep-space exploration, should be based on international law and be conducive to promoting international cooperation, the joint statement added.