Brazilian diplomat approves of BRICS free trade philosophy

Brazil welcomes China's proposal of boosting free trade and opposing protectionism as emerging markets make joint efforts to inject power into economic growth, said a senior Brazilian diplomat.

Ary Norton De Murat Quintella, director of the department of Central and South Asia and Oceania at Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Friday that there are trade problems that need to be addressed, and the BRICS summit is a proper forum for countries to discuss the issue.

He made the remarks while attending a meeting in Nanjing for the preparations of this year's BRICS summit, which will be held in September in Xiamen, a coastal city in East China's Fujian province. More than 100 diplomats, senior officials and bankers from BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - attended the meeting.

Mentioning that Brazil is a main exporter of agricultural products, he said Brazil is against all forms of protectionism.

"Brazil would like to see trade be more open, and to see developed countries to be more open to receiving agricultural products from developing countries," he told China Daily.

"We are discussing things such as money-laundering, counterterrorism and how to promote understanding between the five BRICS members on economic policy. So it's a very fruitful meeting," he said.

Contact the writer at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn