Brazil hopes to further strengthen ties with China: Lula

China

Brazil hopes to further strengthen ties with China: Lula

2025-05-13 18:15 Last Updated At：19:37

Brazil hopes to strengthen ties, deepen cooperation with China in various fields and join hands with China to defend multilateralism and free trade, said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

He made the remarks in a recent interview with Chinese media outlets in Brazil ahead of his ongoing visit to China from Saturday to Wednesday, which marks his second trip to China during his current term and his sixth to the country.

"This visit will be a positive continuation of the good relations between China and Brazil in recent years. China attaches great importance to Brazil. Meanwhile, Brazil, as the largest country and the largest economy in Latin America, also attaches great importance to its relations with China," said the president.

"Brazil has close trade ties with China. The two countries have seen continuous expansion of mutual demand and growing investment between them. There is still great potential for trade exchange and investment, and we very much hope to continue strengthening relations with China," he added.

Stressing that the world needs multilateralism, Lula said Brazil and China both set great store by peace and development, and can jointly send the world a positive signal of safeguarding peace, development and multilateralism.

"I believe this will be a successful visit. I hope to send an important signal from China to the world to defend multilateralism, defend free trade and respect the sovereignty of all countries. I think we should raise the voice that the world needs peace. The world needs concord, not discord. It needs mutual understanding, not misunderstanding and differences. I think this is the signal that our two countries should jointly send to the world," said the president.

He also emphasized the importance of a rule-based trading system.

"I think we must seriously consider a question: What does the world need now? Protectionism? No, the world needs rules. In the case of a trade conflict, we should not close our borders. Instead, we should formulate rules to ensure fair trade and a win-win situation. This is what the world needs," said Lula.

"However, this is not the case. Countries are resorting to conflict or hegemony over trade issues, which has not worked and won't work," Lula added.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.