ISTANBUL 

Calling for the “next stage” of high-level exchanges, China has proposed to “strengthen unity and cooperation” with Brazil.

The comments were made during a meeting between Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, who is on an official trip to the Latin American nation.

“As the largest developing countries and representatives of emerging market economies in the eastern and western hemispheres China and Brazil should strengthen unity and cooperation to jointly respond to global challenges,” Wang told Vieira.

The two met on Thursday (local time) in the Brazilian capital Brasilia, a statement by China’s Foreign Ministry said Friday.

Recalling the state visit to China by Brazilian President Lula da Silva last year, Wang said China “treasures” the friendship between the two countries and “is willing” to take bilateral relations to the “next stage of high-level exchanges between the two sides.”

The two nations are commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and have upgraded ties to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2012.

China is Brazil’s top trading partner and the volume of bilateral trade between the two nations has climbed to around $160 billion, according to statista.com.

The relations between China and Brazil should “move to a new level, display new vitality and open up new horizons," Wang said.

Noting that Brazil is the current chair of the G-20 grouping this year, Wang said China supports Brazil “in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, and is willing to work with Brazil to build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanness and beauty, take good care of the only planet where humans live.”