Brazil's Lula begins China trip, aims to strengthen relations

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has began a China tour aimed at deepening ties with the world's second-largest economy by attending the swearing-in of a political ally as head of a major multilateral development bank.

Dilma Rousseff, a former leader of Brazil, was inaugurated as the president of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) in Shanghai on Thursday morning.

The bank was jointly set up by Brazil, China, Russia, India, and South Africa to serve emerging economies, and Rousseff will complete her country's term in its rotating presidency until 2025.

Lula is set to meet the head of China's biggest electronic carmaker BYD as well as visit a research centre run by telecom giant Huawei later in Shanghai, before meeting his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday.

"We're going to consolidate our relationship with China. I'm going to invite Xi Jinping to come to Brazil for a bilateral meeting, to get to know the country and to show him projects that will be of interest for Chinese investment," Lula said on Monday evening before his departure.

In October, BYD said it was planning to set up a vehicle manufacturing plant in northern Brazil's Bahia after Ford Motors closed its factory in the industrial area.

The company is already making electric buses and cars for the Latin American market in Brazil.

Brazil is a huge market for technology giant Huawei — in contrast with the United States, where companies are effectively barred from doing business with the firm.

China is Brazil's biggest export market, buying tens of billions of dollars worth of soybeans, beef, and iron ore.

READ MORE: Brazil, China strike deal to ditch dollar for trade

Smoothing relations

Back in the office from January after having led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, Lula is seeking to smooth relations with China, after ties deteriorated under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

The 77-year-old veteran leftist was initially scheduled to make the trip in late March but had to postpone it after coming down with pneumonia.

About 40 high-level officials are accompanying him on the rescheduled visit, including cabinet ministers, governors, and members of Congress.

Lula is seeking to reposition Brazil as a key player and deal broker on the international stage, after four years of relative isolation under Bolsonaro.

Lula and Xi are expected to discuss the Ukraine conflict, in which both hope to act as mediators -- despite Western concerns that they are overly cosy with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a delicate balancing act, he is also seeking closer ties with the United States, Brazil's second-biggest trading partner.

His visit with Xi comes after a high-profile White House meeting with President Joe Biden in February.

READ MORE: Brazil's President Lula on quest to repair Brazil-China relations