What China Expects of Lula and Brazil as Viewed by CASS Analysts
"Especially in the context of escalating competition between major powers, Brazil should become a partner that China actively strives to win over."
Dear Everyone,
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will be arriving in China today (Tuesday). His visit will last four days culminating in a meeting with Xi in Beijing on Friday.
Correction: Contrary to previous reports, Lula will be arriving on Wednesday, not Tuesday.
The recent return to power of an “old friend” of China’s was widely welcomed by Chinese analysts. This is perhaps unsurprising given his predecessor’s record of being an “anti-globalist” [反全球主义者, see below], of breaking with Brazil’s traditional embrace of multilateralism and of occasionally voicing “anti-China” [反华] rhetoric.
Today’s excerpts are from a lengthy piece by six researchers from the Institute of Latin American Studies, which is part of the prestigious Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). I focus here on their analysis of why Lula’s Brazil matters to China and what they recommend Beijing do in order to strengthen its ties with Brasilia.
SUMMARY
Lula’s Brazil is seen as having fundamental politic…