In a gesture that shows the balance in Brazil’s position on the international stage, president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with China’s High Representative for Climate Xie Zhen Hua at the Climate Summit (COP27) this Tuesday. The meeting will take place on the day that Lula will be with Joe Biden’s special envoy, John Kerry.
By continuing the dialogue with the two powers, Lula wants to send a clear signal that there will be no automatic alignment with either the White House or Beijing. The Americans and Chinese are experiencing a moment of tension, with a crisis feared to hinder negotiations in many sectors, including environmental debates.
Some of the architects of Brazil’s new foreign policy believe that Brazil should work on the international stage to widen its poles of power and thwart any attempt to establish a multipolar world.
Therefore, it is considered strategic to strengthen the idea of multilateralism and alliances that can expand democratic decision-making processes around the world.
In the case of China, Brazil’s interest is to expand cooperation with its largest trading partner. But don’t limit yourself to just selling raw materials. Dialogue with Beijing therefore includes commitments in other sectors, including the environment.
In the case of Kerry, the meeting is reserved, but Brazil’s tone will be to assure the American that his government will place the environmental issue at the center of its foreign policy strategy, and to signal that resources are coming. It will be allocated to rebuild organ environments in Brazil. However, Lula also makes a speech at COP27 that such a change does not mean giving up national sovereignty and that all cooperation projects will be led by the Brazilian government when it comes to Amazon.
On the American side, the White House insists it wants to establish a new chapter of cooperation with Brazil, after turbulent years with Bolsonaro. But on the Brazilian side, he will want to see commitments and real targets to reduce deforestation.
But the tone will be that the two countries now want to “restart” the bilateral relationship with a new logic.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.