Global Times: Lasting like Yangtze and Amazon rivers: Xi's letter to friendly Brazilian personages highlights enduring China-Brazil friendship spanning vast oceans

BEIJING, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Yangtze and Amazon, two of the world's greatest rivers, have continuously nurtured thriving nations and splendid civilizations. 

Today, they also symbolize the enduring friendship between China and Brazil.

Recently, Enrique Teixeira, former deputy Mayor of Campinas, Sao Paulo State, and more than 100 friendly personages from the Brazil-China Friendship Association, the Sao Paulo University, the Sao Paulo State University, and the Copacabana Fort Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping respectively, thanking the Chinese government, enterprises, and universities for their contributions to China-Brazil friendly exchanges and the improvement of local people's livelihoods, the Xinhua News Agency reported on November 11.

In a reply letter to friendly personages from all walks of life in Brazil, President Xi encouraged them to continuously contribute to the China-Brazil friendship.

Xi said that he is glad to see that the China-Brazil friendship has been passed on from generation to generation, adding that over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Brazil have marched forward hand in hand, sharing weal and woe, and have forged a friendship spanning mountains and oceans.

He voiced hope that people from all walks of life in the two countries will play a positive role in promoting the continuous development of China-Brazil relations and making the China-Brazil friendship flow unceasingly like the Yangtze River and the Amazon River.

An invitation letter

Ahead of Xi's visit to Brazil, the Confucius Institute at the Sao Paulo State University compiled a booklet, which was titled "An Invitation from Brazil: 50 Letters to President Xi Jinping." 

"We aim to convey our respect and admiration for China, the Chinese people, and President Xi through this booklet," Luís Antonio Paulino, director of the institute, told the Global Times. "We eagerly anticipate President Xi's visit, are confident that his state visit will elevate the friendship between Brazil and China to new heights."

Established in November 2008, the Confucius Institute at the Sao Paulo State University is the first of its kind in Brazil, jointly founded by the Sao Paulo State University and Hubei University in Central China.

The Confucius Institute has registered over 23,000 students, with 16 teaching centers spread across 13 cities in São Paulo State and across Brazil.

Verena Veludo Papacidero is a local teacher at the Confucius Institute of the Sao Paulo State University. She said that the imagery of a "friendship transcending mountains and seas" and the metaphor of "flowing ceaselessly like the Yangtze and Amazon rivers" vividly underscore the close ties and immense potential for cooperation between the two nations in areas like culture and education.

In his letter, Xi said that China is willing to work with Brazil to enrich the friendship between the two countries in the new era, make China-Brazil relations a good example of solidarity, coordination, common development and mutual benefit among major developing countries, and make greater contributions to the cause of peace and progress of mankind, Xi said.

He said Brazilian friends are welcome to visit China more often and experience for themselves the myriad sights of Chinese modernization.

Jao Pedro is a student at the Confucius Institute at the Sao Paulo State University who wrote a letter to President Xi. He expressed his hope that Xi could visit his school some day. "China's influence in Brazil is growing. I believe the relationship between China and Brazil will get deeper," he said.

Bruno Moreira Silva, another author of the letters, also looks forward to visiting China and hopes to use his expertise to enhance exchanges between the two countries. "In 2025, I will study in China, and I am determined to learn more about this country, which is both ancient and modern."

Notes of harmony

Marcia Melchior, founder and director of the Orquestra Forte de Copacabana, told the Global Times that Xi's reply letter made her feel "deeply honored and moved."

"His reply was a testament to the significance of cultural exchanges and the mutual respect between Brazil and China. It reinforced the idea that our mission resonates beyond borders and that our efforts to connect young musicians to broader cultural experiences are recognized at the highest level," she said.

"This recognition inspires us to pursue greater goals. Knowing that he values the cultural connection we're building motivates our entire team and young musicians to keep striving for excellence," she said.

The Orquestra Forte de Copacabana was found in 2011 and based at the historic Forte de Copacabana in Brazil, with an aim to transform the lives of young people from vulnerable communities through music and education.

The orchestra has had a sponsorship from a Chinese petroleum company since 2022, which according to Melchior, allows them to embrace Chinese culture.

"This support has been instrumental in helping us grow and strengthen our mission, and it has forged a significant cultural bond between us and Chinese people," she said.

The Brazilian musician views the current bilateral relations between China and Brazil as "incredibly dynamic and mutually enriching, especially in the realm of cultural exchange."

"Looking forward, I believe this partnership has tremendous potential to grow. My hope is that we continue expanding cultural, educational, and artistic exchanges, creating more platforms for artists, musicians, and students to connect, learn, and inspire each other. With the support of leaders from both countries, I envision our bilateral ties becoming even stronger, with cultural projects playing a key role in bringing our peoples closer," she said.

"We are proud to be part of this journey and look forward to contributing to the future of Brazil-China relations," she noted.

From seed to bloom

About 200 years ago, the first group of Chinese tea farmers traveled across the ocean to grow and teach the art of tea in Brazil. The seed of friendship they sowed back then has grown tall and borne fruit. The friendship between the people has always been a driving force for the growth of China-Brazil relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said on November 12, when asked to share more details about Xi's reply to letters from friendly personages in Brazil, which received extensive and positive response.

As two of the world's major developing countries, China and Brazil should take on the mantle of historical duty and responsibilities, and work together with others in the Global South to resolutely safeguard the developing nations' common interests, to address global challenges through cooperation, and to promote a global governance system that is fairer and more equitable, President Xi said in a signed article published on Sunday in Brazilian media outlet Folha de S. Paulo.

The two countries should make their distinctive contribution to world peace, stability and common development, Xi said in the article. 

Just as a well-tended tea plant matures and yields richer leaves over time, the bond between China and Brazil, nurtured by mutual understanding and cooperation, is expected to grow even stronger, making the friendship as enduring as the Yangtze and Amazon rivers.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202411/1323241.shtml

SOURCE Global Times