What Bolsonaro Means for China-Brazil Relations
THE DIPLOMAT
Since Jair Bolsonaro’s election as Brazil’s next president, he has been rowing back on his criticisms of China and adopting a more pragmatic stance. Why has he done this? And what are the chances of him adopting a more robust position once he takes office in January?
During the recent election cycle, Bolsonaro claimed that “China isn’t buying in Brazil. It’s buying Brazil.” His comments reflected his fear that China was moving beyond purchasing Brazilian products and becoming more enmeshed in the Brazilian economy, including investing in nationally sensitive areas like the country’s energy-related and telecommunication services. As if criticizing China wasn’t enough, he also poked the dragon’s sensibilities when he stopped in Taiwan during a trip to East Asia in April, leading the Chinese embassy to send a letter of protest to the head of his campaign.
Little more than a week after his election on October 28, however, Bolsonaro has suddenly become more measured in his language. On November 5 he met with China’s ambassador to Brazil, Li Jinzhang, and said that China was a “great cooperation partner.” He also welcomed Chinese investment and invited more trade between the two countries.
