Star Metro - China, Brazil urge developed nations to meet climate finance vows

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has used his visit to push the message that "Brazil is back" as a key player on the global stage -- and to warn others that the South American country's deepening relations with China are non-negotiable.

He lashed out at the power of the US dollar and the IMF and met representatives from Chinese tech giant Huawei in Shanghai on Thursday, before meeting his counterpart Xi Jinping on Friday.

"Yesterday we paid a visit to Huawei, demonstrating that we want to say to the world that we are not prejudiced in our relations with the Chinese -- and that no one is going to forbid Brazil from improving its relations with China," Lula said as he arrived at the meeting with Xi, according to a video posted by Brazilian media.

Huawei has an extensive presence in Brazil -- in contrast with the United States, where companies are effectively barred from doing business with the firm.

Xi told Lula that China viewed relations between the two countries as a diplomatic high priority, a readout from China's foreign ministry said.

The joint statement released after the talks took aim at the United States, Europe and other wealthy nations who have never reached their funding pledges set at UN climate talks in Copenhagen in 2009.

"We continue to be very concerned that climate finance provided by developed countries continues to fall short of the $100 billion per year commitment, as it has every year since the goal was set," it read.

"We urge developed countries to honour their unfulfilled climate finance obligations, and... provide a clear roadmap of doubling adaptation finance."

- 'New opportunities' -

Lula is carrying out a delicate balancing act as he also seeks closer ties with Washington -- his visit with Xi comes after a high-profile White House meeting with US President Joe Biden in February.

"Our intention isn't to distance ourselves from anyone, especially a partner as important as the United States," Lula's finance minister Fernando Haddad said Friday.

"We want to re-establish the best relations possible, and we want partnerships with the three big trade blocs -- the United States, the European Union and China," he added.

Xi on Friday greeted Lula at a red carpet ceremony as a military band played the two countries' national anthems, and assured him that China's development would bring fresh benefits for Brazil.

"As comprehensive strategic partners, China and Brazil share extensive common interests," Xi said, according to the ministry readout.

"China will pursue high-quality development... and promote high-standard opening-up. This will unlock new opportunities for Brazil and countries around the world."

"China welcomes more high-quality products from Brazil into its market. China will actively explore greater synergy between its Belt and Road Initiative and Brazil's reindustrialisation strategy," Xi said, according to a readout from state agency Xinhua.

Lula on Thursday took aim at the US dollar, criticising its ubiquitous use in almost all global trade transactions.

His government recently announced a deal with Beijing to trade in their own currencies, ditching the dollar.

China has similar deals with Russia, Pakistan and several other countries.

"Who decided the dollar would be the (world's) currency?" Lula said in Shanghai at a ceremony to inaugurate his political ally Dilma Rousseff as president of the development bank set up by the BRICS nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

"Today, countries have to chase after dollars to export, when they could be exporting in their own currencies."

Lula also had strong words for the International Monetary Fund, alluding to accusations the global lender forces overly harsh spending cuts on cash-strapped countries such as Brazil's neighbour Argentina in exchange for bailout loans.

"No leader can work with a knife to their throat because (their country) owes money," he said.

- 'Brazil is back!' -

Lula, who took office in January, is looking to reposition Brazil as a global go-between and deal broker, seeking friendly ties across the board after four years of relative isolation under his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

"We are back on the international stage, after an inexplicable absence," Lula promised when he arrived on Wednesday night.

On Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Lula and Xi said "dialogue and negotiation" were the "only feasible way" to resolve the crisis, and appealed to other nations to play a "constructive role" in a political settlement, according to the Xinhua readout.

Both countries have refused to join Western nations in imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion.

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O.Ouellet--SMC