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)