"Regardless of global changes, China will stand by Brazil," ambassador tells Lula.
At the factory inauguration, Zhu Qingqiao stated that Sino-Brazilian relations are experiencing a "golden moment" and praised the government's industrialization programs.
247 - During the inauguration of the Chinese automaker GWM’s factory in Iracemápolis (SP), this Friday (15), the Chinese ambassador to Brazil, Zhu Qingqiao, told President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) that the two countries should “join forces more broadly” to face the uncertainties of the international scenario and take advantage of the potential for joint growth.
The diplomat said that, under the leadership of Lula and President Xi Jinping, the Sino-Brazilian relationship is going through a "golden age" and that cooperation between the two largest developing economies in the eastern and western hemispheres is playing an increasingly important role.
"Changes unseen in a century are accelerating. On the one hand, the world is marked by turbulence and disorder with the proliferation of unilateral intimidation and the order of international rules severely undermined. On the other hand, the Global South is growing remarkably and playing an increasingly constructive role in defending world peace and promoting common development. China and Brazil, the two largest developing nations in the eastern and western hemispheres, are at the forefront of the times. We must attend to our respective affairs and further strengthen our cooperation."
"Regardless of changes in the international situation, China will stand by Brazil to build together a community of shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet," Zhu declared.
Industry and technology at the heart of the partnership
GWM's new factory, focused on the production of electric and hybrid vehicles, is expected to generate 700 direct jobs and produce between 30 and 45 units per year. The company plans to invest R$ 10 billion in Brazil by 2032, with R$ 4 billion by 2026. Within three years, the expectation is that 60% of the components used will be of national origin.
"Under President Lula's leadership, Brazil is resisting external impacts and has once again been removed from the UN's hunger map. It is firmly promoting strategies such as the New Industry Brazil, the New Growth Acceleration Program, and the Ecological Transformation Plan, continuously unleashing the vitality of economic growth. Leaders with strategic vision know how to find opportunities in crisis, and rising powers know how to transform crises into opportunities," the ambassador stated.
The plant will also house a Research, Development and Innovation center. During the ceremony, the automaker received the global "Great Place to Work" certification.
Strategic cooperation
Zhu highlighted that, in addition to traditional sectors such as energy, agriculture, and infrastructure, the Brazil-China partnership is expanding into emerging areas such as the green economy, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, aviation, and the pharmaceutical industry. "Mutual benefits, win-win cooperation, and common development are the enduring essence of Sino-Brazilian cooperation, while innovation and quality improvement are becoming the new hallmark of the partnership," he said.
He also highlighted the growth of Chinese investment in the Brazilian automotive sector over the past two years, driven by policies such as the federal Mover program. "We want to integrate technology, generate high-quality jobs, and develop an industrial ecosystem that benefits both countries," he said.
"Over the past two years, investment cooperation in the automotive industry has become a new highlight in Sino-Brazilian relations. Encouraged by policies such as the Mover program, Chinese companies like GWM, BYD, GAC, and Chery have launched ambitious plans for local investment and production. We encourage and support Chinese companies to bring advanced technology, generate high-quality jobs, establish local industrial ecosystems and supply chains, and conduct local research and development adapted to Brazilian characteristics, which should deeply integrate into Brazilian industry and develop with mutual benefit so that more China-Brazil manufacturing, China-Brazil smart manufacturing, and China-Brazil creation emerge" - Zhu Qingqiao.
