China’s Xi calls for unity in talks with Brazil’s Lula amid US trade rupture
Leaders discussed war in Ukraine, the role of Brics and G20 in defending multilateralism, and COP30 summit, according to Brasilia
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has spoken by phone with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for about an hour, in a high-level contact aimed at reinforcing ties with Brazil’s largest trading partner while confronting a sudden rupture in trade relations with the United States.
The call on Tuesday morning Beijing time, requested by Lula, had been in preparation for several days, according to Brazilian officials. Advisers at the Planalto Palace and the foreign ministry had been in contact with Beijing since last week to arrange the timing, which had to accommodate the 11-hour time difference with the Chinese capital.
During the call, Xi told Lula that bilateral relations were at their best ever and that the nations should work together to set an example of solidarity and self-reliance for the Global South, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
Sources told the South China Morning Post that the decision to press ahead with the meeting came after Lula consulted senior ministers about the potential impact of new US trade measures and the diplomatic message he wanted to send.
The conversation took place four days after US President Donald Trump’s administration imposed a 50 per cent tariff on a broad range of Brazilian exports, measures that threaten billions of dollars in annual trade.
Hours earlier, Washington extended a 90-day pause on similar duties for Chinese goods, highlighting a stark difference in treatment between Beijing and Brasilia.
Xi told Lula that China supported Brazil in defending its legitimate rights.
“Countries should unite and take a clear stand against unilateralism and protectionism,” Xi was quoted as saying.
According to a statement from the Brazilian presidential palace, Lula and Xi discussed the war in Ukraine, the role of Brics and the G20 in defending multilateralism, and preparations for COP30, the United Nations climate summit to be hosted by Brazil in November.
Xi confirmed “China will send a senior delegation to Belem”, the city hosting the summit, and the leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in health, energy, the digital economy and satellite technology.
“President Lula reiterated China’s importance to the success of COP30 and the fight against climate change. President Xi indicated that China will work with Brazil to ensure the conference’s success,” according to the readout released by the Brazilian government.
Brazilian officials say Lula also wanted to use the call to ensure that trade between the two countries remains stable despite broader tensions in global markets.
The phone call was part of a broader diplomatic push by Lula in recent days to align positions among Brics members in response to US trade actions. He spoke last week with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose country faces the same tariff rate, and with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose economy has been hit by separate sanctions.
China has already signalled public support for Brazil in the dispute. On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Celso Amorim, Lula’s chief foreign policy adviser, that Beijing opposed “unjustified external interference” in Brazilian affairs and criticised the “use of tariffs for political leverage”.
In late July, the Chinese foreign ministry offered to strengthen economic cooperation with Brasilia, citing interest in aviation, a key industry for Brazil’s Embraer.
Brazil counts China as its largest export market, with soybeans, iron ore and oil dominating sales. The United States remains a smaller but strategic buyer, particularly for higher-value manufactured goods such as aircraft. The sudden tariff increase threatens to disrupt trade flows and inject new volatility into Brazil’s economy at a time of sluggish growth.
Trump has frequently accused the Brics bloc of acting against US interests. Lula has sought to position the grouping as a counterweight to what he calls protectionist and unilateral measures by Washington. Talks among Brics leaders on trade coordination are expected to continue in the coming weeks, according to Brazilian officials.