Brazil hopes to boost economic cooperation with China: expert

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 16 -- Brazil is expecting more investments in infrastructure, agriculture and the service sector as a result of the visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to the country next week, said a leading Brazilian expert.

Bilateral cooperation in infrastructure is especially expected to expand as a result of Li's visit, as he will head a high-profile delegation related to the area and Brazilian businessmen in this field are also keen to cooperate with China, Julia Dias Leite, executive secretary of the Brazil-China Business Council (CEBC), told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Brazil also hopes to resume exports of meat products to China after a ban was imposed on Brazilian meats in 2012 due to a case of mad cow disease. Now local producers are eager to return to the Chinese market, where there is great potential for Brazil, a large meat exporter, to tap, Leite said.

Brazilians are very interested in expanding connections with the Chinese people, as evidenced by the large number of businessmen who signed up for the business summit on the occasion of Premier Li's visit, including 150 from Brazil's finest companies, she said.

Meanwhile, an exhibition of Chinese machinery and other products will be held in Rio De Janeiro during the visit to increase the awareness of Chinese brands among the Brazilian public.

Besides economic cooperation, the two countries' leaders will also address political and cultural exchanges. Several agreements are expected to be signed, and the Joint Program of Action for 2010-2015 is to be renewed for the period of 2015-2021, Leite said, calling the CEBC a main Brazilian organ in charge of business coordination with China.