The UN Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil, or COP30, took place from November 10 to 21. In a recent interview with Beijing Review reporters Tao Xing and Wei Mingxin, Chinese Consul General in São Paulo Yu Peng shared his views on ecological cooperation and cultural exchange between China and Brazil. Edited excerpts from their conversation follow: 

Beijing Review: Both China and Brazil face the challenge of balancing environmental protection with economic development. In your view, in which specific areas can they deepen cooperation on green development? 

Yu Peng: China has made ecological progress a top priority in national governance. It has simultaneously pursued carbon reduction, pollution control, ecosystem restoration and low-carbon growth, driving a comprehensive shift toward green economic and social development. These efforts have produced remarkable achievements, and great progress has been made in advancing the Beautiful China Initiative (a top-level development blueprint detailing specific targets for a wide range of sectors for the country's green and high-quality growth—Ed.).

China has adopted the vision that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, highlighting the conversion of ecological advantages into economic strengths to realize integrated economic, social and ecological benefits.

Brazil has also formulated national strategies in environmental governance, energy transition and biodiversity conservation.

Facing common challenges in sustainable development and climate action, China and Brazil, as resource-rich major emerging economies, have partnered to explore new development paths that harmonize economic growth with environmental protection for the Global South.

Looking ahead, the two countries should deepen alignment of development strategies and transform their respective strengths in natural resources and industrial capacity into green drivers of shared development in multiple areas.

One is green transportation. Public buses in major Brazilian cities such as São Paulo are still predominantly fuel-powered, leading to pollution and high fuel costs. There is a strong demand for electrification. During his visit to China earlier this year, São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes struck deals with Chinese companies to procure electric buses, with $100 million in financing from a Chinese bank. There remains vast potential for cooperation in this field.

Then there are green cities. "Waste siege" (negative effects of the accumulation of unmanaged waste—Ed.) is a pressing environmental issue for major Brazilian cities. China has advanced waste-to-energy solutions and successful implementation experience. The Power Construction Corp. of China is building a waste-to-energy plant in Barueri in the northwestern part of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo and more similar projects may follow.

The two countries can also boost green trade. China is the largest buyer of Brazilian soybeans, importing around $30 billion worth of Brazilian soybeans annually, or about one third of Brazil's total exports to China. Chinese importers increasingly value green cooperation with Brazil in the soybean trade. In May 2024, the first shipment of deforestation- and conversion-free (not produced by converting natural ecosystems into farmland—Ed.) Brazilian soybeans arrived in China. This is an encouraging step, and both countries are expected to achieve even greater progress in green trade cooperation.

Can you give some examples of China-Brazil cooperation in addressing climate change? What potential breakthroughs lie ahead? 

China-Brazil cooperation on climate action is rooted in their shared development needs and a joint responsibility for the future of humanity. Over recent years, there have been many collaborative initiatives that leverage technology sharing to simultaneously improve people's lives and the environment.

China Three Gorges Corp. Brazil has carried out long-term fish-stocking programs in the Paranapanema River Basin, having released about 26 million fish fry altogether. Through joint scientific research and community outreach, biodiversity awareness has taken deeper root locally, achieving harmony between hydropower development and ecological restoration.

The Brazilian subsidiary of China's State Power Investment Corp. has introduced an innovative Drone Plus AI monitoring system at the São Simão Hydropower Plant. The system enables precise management and scientific assessment of vegetation restoration in the reservoir area. This achievement has been shared as a model case at international remote sensing conferences, offering a low-cost, replicable solution for ecological management in large hydropower projects.

CPFL Energia, controlled by the State Grid Corp. of China, has implemented multiple green initiatives. One of them, CPFL in Hospitals, which provides stable and green electricity to millions of patients, has been recognized by the United Nations as an outstanding sustainable development practice.

Potential breakthroughs in China-Brazil climate cooperation lie in scaling up and systematizing successful approaches. Priorities include: jointly building digital green corridors to expand the use of intelligent environmental monitoring technologies; developing more green finance tools to support clean energy and ecological projects; and using platforms such as COP30 to promote more equitable and inclusive global climate governance rules. Together, the two countries can provide strong support for Global South countries to explore sustainable development pathways.

How has cultural exchange contributed to strengthening mutual understanding and trust between the peoples of China and Brazil? Are there any cultural exchange initiatives that have particularly impressed you? 

Civilizations flourish through exchange and are enriched through mutual learning. In recent years, cultural exchanges between China and Brazil have continued to deepen and diversify, enhancing mutual understanding, strengthening the bond between the two peoples and enriching the dimensions of the China-Brazil community with a shared future.

Leading Chinese cultural institutions such as the China National Opera House, the National Ballet of China and the China National Symphony Orchestra have all staged successful performances in São Paulo. Not long ago, the National Ballet of China presented Chinese New Year, an original production that blends Western ballet with traditional Chinese festive culture. Its superb artistry and exquisite stage design, as well as joint performances by Chinese and Brazilian dancers, delighted local audiences and demonstrated the growing momentum of China-Brazil cultural exchange.

The four Confucius Institutes in the consular district of the Consulate General of China in São Paulo, with more than 30,000 teachers and students, continue to promote academic cooperation and cultural exchange. The Confucius Institute at São Paulo State University, for example, has already hosted 10 editions of the São Paulo Chinese Film Festival, bringing over 100 Chinese films to local audiences.

Educational cooperation has also flourished. Some of the educational initiatives contributing to the deepening of mutual understanding between the two countries include the establishment of the University of São Paulo's China Center, the successful Study in Beijing exhibition in São Paulo and the signing of an agreement between São Paulo State University, the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China's Ministry of Education and Hubei University in the central Chinese province of Hubei to jointly build a Chinese language program.

The short video, photography and essay competitions, co-hosted by the Consulate General of China in São Paulo and the São Paulo State Government, have attracted tens of thousands of young participants. This year's essay contest, themed China and Brazil: A Friendship that Crosses Mountains and Seas, received more than 10,000 submissions from students across the state. Their works offered vivid stories of collaboration between the two major developing countries from the perspective of local youth. The heartfelt narratives deeply moved and inspired me, illustrating the enduring friendship between the peoples of China and Brazil.

These deepening exchanges continue to foster mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples, strengthening the foundations of China-Brazil friendship. Next year will be the China-Brazil Year of Culture. We look forward to taking this opportunity to host even more diverse and dynamic cultural exchange programs, further enriching mutual learning, promoting people-to-people ties and injecting lasting momentum into the long-term development of China-Brazil relations. BR

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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