Brazil would maintain its current policy of giving priority to developing its ties with China, no matter who the next Brazilian president was, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told outgoing Chinese ambassador Jiang Yuande on Wednesday.

 

During a meeting with Jiang, Lula said the development of strategic relations between Brazil and China was vital to the establishment of a more balanced world political and trade order.

 

The exchange of visits between President Hu Jintao and him in 2004 gave a strong boost to relations between the two countries, said Lula, adding that the good momentum had been maintained bilaterally in all fields.

 

For his part, Jiang said the deepening of the strategic partnership between China and Brazil served the basic interests of the two peoples, and he hoped that both nations would continue to do this.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 23, 2006)