Brazil's president to pay 4-day visit to China

ISTANBUL

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will pay a four-day state visit to China this week, after overcoming pneumonia that forced him to postpone the trip.

"As agreed by both sides, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic of Brazil will pay a state visit to China from April 12 to 15," Hua Chunying, spokeswoman of China’s Foreign Ministry, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The visit shows the high importance both sides attach to China-Brazil relations."

She added: "We warmly welcome President Lula and look forward to working with Brazil to upgrade our mutually beneficial cooperation and bring more positive energy to solidarity, cooperation & common development among developing countries."

Lula also confirmed the visit on his Twitter account, saying it is meant to "strengthen relations with our biggest trading partner."

This would be Lula's third foreign visit, after trips to meet Argentine President Alberto Fernandez in Buenos Aires, and his US counterpart Joe Biden in Washington since being inaugurated earlier this year.

Lula had to cancel his state visit to China last month because of mild pneumonia. He is expected to arrive in Shanghai late Tuesday and later travel to Beijing where he will meet his counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday.

China has been Brazil’s top trading partner for the past 14 years, and bilateral trade volume surpassed $171 billion last year.