São Paulo announces business office in China

By Richard Mann, Contributing Reporter

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – São Paulo Governor João Doria announced the opening of a business office in the Chinese municipality of Shanghai. The announcement was made after a meeting with China’s Ambassador to Brazil Yang Wanming this week at the seat of the São Paulo state government.

From August 3rd to 10 this year, a commission is set to fly to China and visit Beijing and Shanghai for the inauguration of the premises. Their aim is to facilitate the promotion of trade, investment, and exchange in several fields. This will be the first commercial office of São Paulo state outside of the country, and, the government added, the initiative is expected to be expanded to other Chinese cities.

“Shanghai is China’s business capital. We have now established cooperation deals to be signed in August, in China, in the following areas: agribusiness, technology, infrastructure, logistics and transport, health care, economic development, energy, and tourism,” Doria said.

“Brazil is an important partner of China and is currently going through an important moment of economic and political development. The state of São Paulo plays an important economic and social role. We are willing to work alongside the Brazilian government and with Governor [Doria] to expand São Paulo’s cooperation with China,” Wanming declared.

Doria also pledged to take privatization plans from the state of São Paulo to China on railways, highways, airports, ports, and agricultural development. Among prospective investors are government-run and parastatal banks, governmental and private investors from China. The idea is to attract the Chinese to privatization projects, like the port of São Sebastião.

“China is Brazil’s main trade partner. Everything indicates that China’s investment in Brazil in the coming years is likely to grow significantly, especially in São Paulo, since the city is the main destination of Chinese investment in a number of sectors. In the coming months, we’ll also announce new investments from Chinese industries in the state,” the governor pointed out.