China's foreign minister confirmed on Monday that Hamilton Mourao, Brazil's vice president is scheduled to visit China next week to hold a new round of high-level political and economic talks with China.
The Chinese foreign ministry said that the vice president will stay in China from May 19 to 24. The ministry confirmed that Chinese President Xi Jinping and the CPPCC Chairman Wang Yang will meet the Brazilian leader. A welcome ceremony and banquet will be prepared by Vice President Wang Qishan on his arrival. General Mourao is scheduled to attend economic and cultural events in Shanghai.
Brazil hopes to leverage its relationship with China. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is scheduled to visit China later this year. Chinese president Xi will travel to Brazil in November for the BRICS summit.
In an interview in April, General Mourao said that Brazil does not view China as a strategic threat as they believe that the country is an important partner. The diplomatic relationship of China and Brazil was established in 1974 and, since then, it continued to grow more solid and mature as it celebrates its 4th year this 2019.
The relationship between the two nations remains a sensitive topic during the leadership of Bolsonaro. China is Brazil's most important trading partner for the past decade.
Mourao and Bolsonaro have separate views with China. Mourao and some economists favor maximized engagement with China while the President and his appointees are suspicious of China's presence in Latin America.
The Brazilian president said that the Chinese can buy in Brazil, but they can't buy Brazil. Despite his criticism of China before the election, the president denied that he is anti-China.
Brazil might act as the Trojan horse of China into Latin America. It is the first developing country and the first Latin American to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China.
China is the biggest trading partner of the country since its trade surpassed the United States in 2009. China remains the largest import and export market in Brazil.
According to Oliver Stuenkel, a specialist on BRICS, an associate of five major emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, said that the Chinese understand that
Mourao plays a central role in toning down the President's rhetoric. He added that China knows that the Mourao-China relationship will be fundamental. The Brazilian president is known for his good relations with the United States which is the biggest critic of China's presence in every continent.
