Major players from the energy sectors in China and Brazil came together on Friday to launch a new industry alliance in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, aiming to further foster the two countries' energy cooperation.
The rapidly growing economic relationship between China, the biggest developing country in the world, and Brazil, the largest developing country in the western hemisphere, has once again come into spotlight.
The State Grid Corporation of China, together with Brazil's electricity regulator, major power firms, and 16 academic and research institutions, set up the China-Brazil Electric Innovation and Sharing Alliance.
Thiago Barral, secretary of Energy Transition and Planning in the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Brazil, said the event has brought the cooperation to a next level as the launch of the alliance will also promote technological growth.
"So the launch of this new alliance is a new milestone in the collaboration between Brazil and China. And I see it has taken this collaboration to a next level, to an upper level, because it reinforces the collaboration on technology development. So it's not just investing in infrastructure but developing together using Brazil scale and China scale as platforms for developing solutions, advanced solutions for the challenges of the power grids not only in China and Brazil but elsewhere," said Barral.
With sustainability being a long-time concern for both countries, and a major topic at the 19th G20 Summit which will kick off on Monday, this energy alliance also aims to provide insight into green energy development.
"China and Brazil have significant cooperation potential in power sector upgrades, especially in ultra-high voltage technology, renewable energy, grid-connection and smart grids. Currently, there is already a foundation for cooperation between the two countries in the field of power transmission. Now, both of China's two overseas UHV direct current transmission projects are located in Brazil, helping the country safely transmit clean energy to its load centers," said Wang Xiaogang, chief engineer at State Grid Brazil Holding.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to attend this year's G20 Summit and pay a state visit at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The two countries are expected to go beyond areas of cooperation such as energy, and explore new frontiers in infrastructure, space exploration and artificial intelligence.
China, Brazil launch innovation, sharing alliance to enhance energy cooperation
China, Brazil launch innovation, sharing alliance to enhance energy cooperation
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
