Brazil and China can share their experience in world heritage preservation to boost cultural exchanges, Minister of Culture Joao Luiz Silva Ferreira said on Monday.

Speaking in an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of a meeting of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Ferreira said he was impressed by the Chinese culture.

"I made an official visit to China, and Shanghai impressed me more than New York, because of its opportunities for development," he said.

"In Beijing I met with officials from the area of culture, who were interested in Brazilian policy of heritage preservation. And possibilities for technical cooperation are open," said Ferreira, who was chairing the ongoing World Heritage Committee meeting.

The minister said China and Brazil have many similarities, as both are major developing countries with fast economic growths.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva considers China a friendly country, but there is a need to improve bilateral exchanges, he said.

"The Chinese know little about Brazilian culture, except for academic people. I talked to a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences who has in-depth knowledge about Brazilian history, culture, literature, but these are specific cases," he said. "Similarly, Brazil knows little about China."

Technical cooperation in world heritage preservation can be a good starting point, he said.

November will be the Month of Chinese Culture in Brazil featuring National Ballet of China in a tour of major cities, and the possibility a "Year of China" in Brazil is currently under discussion, the minister said.

Ferreira also said Brazil and China can consider joint platforms to promote their cultural products. The two have had good cooperation on the international fronts in intellectual property protection and biodiversity preservation.

The minister said he was interested in the Chinese policy for audiovisual production, especially animation, and considered China a global reference that can inspire the Brazilian government.

He said he was impressed by the longevity of Chinese artwork, especially graphic arts.

"I saw pieces in a museum in Shanghai that attracted my attention for their exceptional quality. They influenced Japan and other Eastern countries, and have a great meaning for the world. Brazilian artists rely on them as a source," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2010)