Top legislator Wu Bangguo Thursday called on business people
both in China and Brazil to play a leading role in forging closer
bilateral trade and economic ties.
Addressing a Chinese and Brazilian entrepreneurs federation, Wu,
chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's
Congress, said economic and trade cooperation serves as the
foundation of the strategic partnership of the two countries, and
is the key guarantee for their relationship to move forward
briskly.
Brazil is China's largest trading partner in Latin America, as
is China for Brazil in Asia. Their trade volume reached US$14.8
billion in 2005.
Energy and high-tech enterprises were among the outstanding
examples that Wu enumerated as leading the way in cooperation
between the two nations.
China is currently the world's second-largest energy consumer
and will be seeking more as its economy kept growing, while Brazil
is abundant in energy resources and skilled in the development of
alternative energies such as fuel alcohol and bio-diesel, Wu
said.
He pointed out that energy cooperation is complementary and in
the interests of both countries.
Concerning the high-tech field, Wu said that the Brazil-China
development of two earth resources satellites has displayed a model
of cooperation for developing countries.
Wu called for further cooperation in sectors such as
infrastructure, agriculture and textiles.
Wu said that in order to turn the will and potential for trade
and economic cooperation into reality, it is most important to let
the corporations play a leading role in pressing forward on major
projects, thus serving as spearheads.
Wu arrived in Brazil on August 29 for an official goodwill
visit. Brazil is the first leg of Wu's three-nation tour in Latin
America, which will also take him to Uruguay and Chile.
(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2006)
