China's Xi begins state visit to Brazil

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun his state visit to Brazil, a senior official said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday in a statement on X that Xi arrived in Brasilia after attending the 19th G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Brazilian senior officials welcomed the Chinese president upon his arrival in Brasilia, Brazil’s capital.

Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Beijing hoped this visit would strengthen the friendship between the two countries and their peoples.

Ahead of his visit, Xi said on Sunday that he was looking forward to an in-depth exchange of views with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on further enhancing China-Brazil relations, promoting synergy of the two countries' development strategies, and international and regional issues of common interest, according to Xinhua News.

Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $105 billion in 2023, as Brazil is China's ninth-largest trade partner.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid