China-Brazil: Pioneers of co-development in the Global South

Editor's note: Yue Yunxia, a special commentator for CGTN, is the deputy director general of the Institute of Latin American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

On November 19, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Brasilia for a state visit to Brazil. He was warmly welcomed upon his arrival by the Chief of Staff of the Brazilian Presidency Rui Costa, along with several other senior Brazilian officials.

The G20 Summit once again provided a platform for China and Brazil to focus on their development interests. The two countries' development consensus and cooperation in the fight against hunger and poverty were further strengthened. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva launched the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty at the Summit. President Xi presented eight actions for China's global development efforts, including joining the alliance.

China and Brazil have made remarkable achievements in poverty reduction and addressing the food crisis. Since the reform and opening-up in 1978, China has lifted 800 million people out of poverty, contributing more than 70 percent to global poverty reduction. The World Bank, in its report titled "Poverty, Prosperity and the Planet," noted that thanks to China's contribution, the global poverty rate fell from 38 percent in 1990 to 8.5 percent in 2024. Meanwhile, the Lula government in Brazil sees the fight against hunger as one of its political priorities. In 2023 alone, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Brazil was reduced by 40 percent compared to the previous year. Additionally, 24.4 million people were freed from hunger, and the proportion of people suffering from severe food insecurity and malnutrition fell from 15.5 percent to 4.1 percent, setting a new record.

China-Brazil cooperation has always been an effective "external aid" for both countries to tackle poverty and food issues. Data from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs show that in 2023, Brazil continued to remain China's top source of agricultural imports, exporting $59 billion worth of agricultural products to China, accounting for 24.85 percent of China's overall imports of agricultural products. Food products such as soybeans, corn, and meat from Brazil helped China achieve a balance between food supply and demand. At the same time, China's imports from Brazil have grown significantly over the past two decades, ensuring that Brazil has been able to realize tangible benefits from its trade with China, and to provide basic support for improving its own people's earnings.

China and Brazil have also created conditions for sustainable development based on complementary cooperation. In recent years, the two nations have been expanding investment cooperation beyond trade. According to the statistics of the China-Brazil Business Council (CEBC), China's investment in Brazil not only involves the traditional agricultural and mining sectors but also extends to high-tech sectors such as energy, manufacturing, communication and information technology. The economic cooperation with Brazil encompasses large-scale infrastructure projects, such as thermal power plants, extra-high-voltage transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, and harbor dredging. China-Brazil cooperation has effectively improved the business environment in Brazil and created more stable and skilled jobs, thereby reducing poverty and alleviating its intergenerational transmission.

While China-Brazil cooperation continues to help both nations solve problems, it also generates transferable cooperation concepts and development experiences. The Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty is the latest example of China-Brazil cooperation. From working group discussions to the proposal of the initiative and its subsequent implementation, China has been a committed partner with Brazil. This alliance will become an important platform for China and Brazil to work together internationally, showcasing to the world the successful experiences of China and Brazil in poverty reduction, as well as pooling global funds, resources and experiences to support other countries' poverty reduction.

The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil, ushering in a new beginning for high-quality cooperation. This bilateral cooperation is having an expanding effect, and as President Xi Jinping mentioned in his speech at the G20 Rio Summit, from Hangzhou to Rio de Janeiro, G20 leaders remained committed to the same goal of building a "just world for common development." Looking into the future, bilateral cooperation provides a new model for cooperation in the Global South, empowering other developing economies to creatively solve their own issues.

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