China-Brazil bilateral relations: how to manage an 'inevitable marriage' in the face of the coronavirus pandemic?

People's Daily - "Since 2020, some unusual episodes have occurred in China-Brazil bilateral relations. A small number of people in the Brazilian government made less than friendly remarks regarding China. However, with the efforts of both countries, these episodes did not change the overall trend of bilateral cooperation, and bilateral relations between China and Brazil remained on a fruitful path," writes researcher Zhou Zhiwei, from the Latin American Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and executive director of the Brazil Research Center.

"In the last week of April, two positive signs emerged in Sino-Brazilian relations, which also highlighted Brazil's willingness and determination to cooperate with China. The first positive sign was that the Vice President of Brazil, Hamilton Mourão, compared the China-Brazil relationship to "an inevitable marriage" when speaking about Embraer's future cooperation with China."

"This metaphor vividly summarizes the basis, motivation, and expectations of cooperation between China and Brazil. Without a solid foundation of 'feelings,' how can there be a natural marriage? Without passionate motivation for one another, how can there be a lasting marriage? Without a good expectation of a future life together, how can there be a lasting marriage? The word 'inevitable,' emphasized by Mourão, merely reflects the reality that China and Brazil are 'inseparable.'"

"In fact, since the beginning of the new century, China-Brazil cooperation has achieved a series of advances that have attracted the attention of the international community: in 2009, China became Brazil's largest trading partner; in 2012, bilateral relations were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership; in 2018, the volume of bilateral trade between China and Brazil exceeded US$100 billion, making Brazil the first country in Latin America to reach this trade volume."

"Over the past ten years, Brazil's trade surplus with China has accounted for approximately 40% of Brazil's total foreign trade surplus. At the same time, China has become Brazil's most important source of investment."

"Obviously, economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries has given a valuable boost to Brazil's economic and social development. It is extremely important that cooperation in the field of high technology has also achieved significant progress."

"Since the 1980s, aerospace cooperation between the two countries has borne fruit for over 30 years, with both sides jointly developing and launching six CBERS Earth Resources Satellites to provide the Brazilian government with high-tech means to monitor the Amazon rainforest and national environmental changes."

"CBERS cooperation is a successful example of cooperation in the aerospace field in developing countries, breaking the monopoly of developed countries in remote sensing technology, and is hailed by leaders on both sides as a model of South-South cooperation in the field of high technology."

"Clearly, Embraer, mentioned by Mourão, also has close cooperation with China. At the end of May 2000, Embraer established a representative office in Beijing to formally enter the Chinese market."

"In January 2003, Embraer, together with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and its subsidiary Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Co., Ltd., jointly invested in the establishment of Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd. (HEAI) to produce 50-seat ERJ145 jet aircraft in China."

"By the end of May 2019, the Harbin Embraer joint venture had delivered a total of 41 ERJ145 jets and 5 Legacy 650 executive jets to the Chinese market."

"Currently, China is developing civilian aircraft, but this will not cause disruption to aviation cooperation between China and Brazil. As Mourão stated, Brazil has the technology and China has the demand. The most important thing is how to correct this supply and demand relationship. In this regard, we can learn from China-Brazil cooperation in the aerospace field."

"The second piece of positive news was the Extraordinary Meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers regarding the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. This is the first BRICS coordination meeting on the epidemic, whose key words were two: multilateralism and solidarity."

"In particular, the Meeting of Foreign Ministers emphasized that BRICS countries should adhere to multilateralism, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, share information and exchanges on outbreaks, conduct research on drugs and vaccines and cooperation for development, respond more effectively to epidemics, maintain global public health security, and strive to mitigate the negative effects of the outbreak."

"Objectively, the video conference sent a positive signal from the five countries to strengthen unity and cooperation and fight the epidemic together, which is of great importance."

"The difference in awareness among BRICS member countries regarding the epidemic was also reported, which includes the recent politicization and stigmatization of the epidemic by individual members of the Brazilian cabinet."

"In fact, the source of the epidemic is a question that needs to be scientifically proven: any superficial definition is irresponsible, as well as disrespectful to other countries, and mutual respect is the basic criterion of any international relationship."

"Furthermore, China has always been committed to global cooperation in combating epidemics and sharing its experience, starting from a humanitarian spirit, without ideological considerations or the pursuit of private geopolitical interests."

"Indeed, any country has the right to choose partners, but any cooperation should not be built on harm to third countries, because the current moment differs greatly from the Cold War period; even China has abandoned the zero-sum game mentality and has been conducting mutually beneficial cooperation with all countries in the world."

"The facts have proven that China's reform and pragmatic thinking have achieved good results. In the face of the epidemic in Brazil, China never forgot to assist, actively deploying medical resources to support Brazil and striving to coordinate online exchanges between experts from both countries."

"Chinese companies and foreign Chinese in Brazil actively participated in the fight against the epidemic, demonstrating their love for Brazil, and their work and dedication should be respected by Brazil."

"Brazil is a country that loves peace and maintains a harmonious relationship with its neighboring South American countries. This is also an important characteristic of Brazilian diplomacy. It could even be considered 'soft power.' Brazil has also been highly recognized by the international community for this. As the saying goes: 'A friend in need is a friend indeed.'"

"This global public health crisis completely proves that, in the globalized world we all live in, the relationship between countries is truly the same as that of neighbors. The core of the relationship with a neighbor is mutual respect, consideration of interests, and mutual solidarity."

"Perhaps this epidemic will be an important test of Sino-Brazilian relations, but I choose to have more positive expectations, which resemble those of Vice President Mourão: like an inevitable marriage, the best way to maintain it depends on mutual love and care."