MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will visit Brazil next year following his historic bilateral talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits.
Lula announced the planned visit during a press briefing at the International Media Center at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City on Sunday.
“We also extended an invitation for the Philippine leader to visit Brazil,” he told reporters, as translated in English.
“The Philippine leader will also visit Brazil next year,” Lula added.
The Brazilian president is in the Philippines to participate in the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits as Guest of the Chair.
Lula underscored the importance of his Manila visit in strengthening Brazil’s trade and economic ties with the Philippines, saying there remains significant room for growth in bilateral trade.
He cited Brazil’s efforts to diversify its trading partners following the imposition of tariffs by the United States, emphasizing the need for multilateralism and stronger international partnerships.
“Instead of sitting around complaining, we got to work to prove that multilateralism is more effective than unilateralism. And this policy prompted us to take action and focus more on partnerships — moving from a trade volume of three billion in 2003 to 38 billion reais by 2026, which is still quite small given the potential and the size of the economy,” Lula said.
“We want to be a definitive partner, so that we can double our trade — both in terms of exports and imports — and avoid being dependent on a single country,” he added.
He noted that Brazil has expanded trade with 50 countries, recording an average growth rate of 10.5 percent, as it seeks to reduce dependence on individual markets.
Lula also expressed interest in expanding agricultural cooperation with the Philippines, particularly through technology transfer and support for small and medium-scale farmers.
He cited Brazil’s agricultural research and technological capabilities, particularly those of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), which could help boost agricultural productivity in the Philippines.
Two memoranda of understanding covering agricultural cooperation and competition law enforcement were signed by the Philippines and Brazil following the bilateral talks between Marcos and Lula at the Philippine International Convention Center on Saturday.
Lula’s historic state visit marks the first time a sitting Brazilian president has visited the Philippines. It also coincides with the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. (PNA)
