Brazilian business leaders seek to expand exports to China

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil wants to expand exports to China, which has been responsible for 25 percent of the growth in international trade seen in the last 17 years, sources in the Brazilian commercial sectors said Thursday.

During the 36th National Meeting for Foreign Trade (Enaex) in Rio de Janeiro, Roberto Jaguaribe, president of Brazil's import-export promotion agency, said the Chinese market remains strategically important for the internationalization of Brazilian companies.

"China...will never be a self-sufficient country. We are well-equipped to take advantage of this opportunity. The protectionist trend in the world shows the need to internationalize Brazilian companies. And China can be a crucial agent to make this process happen," said Jaguaribe.

He also mentioned the importance of reducing costs to help Brazil to integrate into international markets.

"Brazil's costs is a key factor in the evaluation of commercial development. The aspects that contribute to it are gradually being addressed," he explained.

Enaex is Brazil's most important forum for foreign trade and brings representatives from around the world to discuss business and drive the competitiveness of Brazilian products.