China-Brazil Deals & Joint Statement - Global Cooperation Initiative on Cross-Border Data Flows - Liu Jianchao Meets Communist Party of Nepal Delegation
As I opened the front page of the paper today, I felt a bit like Marty McFly. Everything on the page I covered in my newsletter yesterday. So I will keep staying ahead of the curve, and cover some developments that you can expect tomorrow.
First, let’s look at Xi Jinping’s meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Xinhua reports (English readout):
“Xi Jinping pointed out that he was very pleased to visit Brazil in this year of great historical significance, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil. Just now, President Lula held a grand welcoming ceremony with the highest courtesies for me, fully demonstrating the high importance attached to China-Brazil relations and the deep affection for the Chinese people, which deeply moved me. China and Brazil are two major developing countries in the eastern and western hemispheres. Looking back over the past 50 years, China-Brazil relations have spanned mountains and seas, exploring the right path for large developing countries to engage based on mutual respect, mutual benefit, friendship, and win-win cooperation. Brazil was the first country to establish a strategic partnership with China and the first Latin American country to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Lula and myself, the two countries have increasingly become reliable friends with a shared destiny and a positive force for promoting peace. China-Brazil relations are now at their historical best, not only enhancing the well-being of the two peoples but also safeguarding the shared interests of the vast number of developing countries, strengthening the power and voice of the Global South, and making outstanding contributions to world peace and stability.” 习近平指出，很高兴在中巴建交50周年这个具有重要历史意义的年份访问巴西。刚才卢拉总统为我举行最高礼遇的隆重欢迎仪式，充分体现了对中巴关系的高度重视以及对中国人民的深情厚谊，令我深受感动。中国和巴西是东西半球两大发展中国家。回首过去50年，中巴关系跨越山海，探索出发展中大国相互尊重、互利友好、合作共赢的正确相处之道。巴西是首个同中国建立战略伙伴关系的国家、首个同中国建立全面战略伙伴关系的拉美国家。近年来，在我和卢拉总统战略引领下，两国日益成为命运与共的可靠朋友、共促和平的积极力量，中巴关系正处于历史最好时期，不仅增进了两国人民福祉，也维护了广大发展中国家共同利益，壮大了全球南方的力量和声音，为世界和平稳定作出突出贡献.
As per the Chinese readout, “Lula specially arranged for the Brazilian artist to sing the famous Chinese song My Motherland to thank the Chinese side for its warm hospitality during his visit to China last year”.
Xi Jinping emphasized that today, we are elevating the positioning of China-Brazil relations to the level of a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet. At the same time, we are aligning BRI with Brazil’s development strategy. This marks another historic moment in the development of China-Brazil relations, highlighting the global, strategic, and long-term nature of the bilateral relationship. This aligns with the general expectations of the two peoples and will provide a driving force for both sides to advance their modernization agendas. It also demonstrates the determination of China and Brazil to jointly uphold international fairness and justice and promote common global development. China is willing to work with Brazil, keeping the future of humanity in mind and focusing on the well-being of the people, to continually enrich the connotations of the new-era China-Brazil relationship, becoming ‘golden partners’ that achieve mutual success, and steadily progress toward building a community with a shared future for humanity, a fairer world, and a more sustainable planet, thereby making greater contributions to the cause of peace and progress for humankind.” 习近平强调，今天我们将中巴关系定位提升为携手构建更公正世界和更可持续星球的中巴命运共同体，同时将共建“一带一路”倡议同巴西发展战略对接，这是中巴关系发展的又一个历史性时刻，彰显了两国关系的全球性、战略性、长远性，符合两国人民普遍期待，将为双方推进各自现代化提供动力支撑，同时也彰显了中巴携手维护国际公平正义、促进世界共同发展的决心。中方愿同巴方一道，以人类前途为怀、以人民福祉为念，不断丰富新时代中巴关系内涵，做相互成就的“黄金搭档”，朝着构建人类命运共同体、构建更公正世界和更可持续星球的目标不断迈进，为人类和平和进步事业作出更大贡献.
Xi then made four points:
First, we must share a common destiny and should continue to consolidate strategic mutual trust. We must firmly support each other on issues involving core interests, such as sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, and become strategic partners that trust each other and a model of solidarity, cooperation, mutual benefit, and common development among the Global South countries. We must strengthen exchanges in the fields of culture, education, and youth, and consolidate the public opinion foundation of the China-Brazil community with a shared future.
Second, we must develop together and continue to deepen the linkages between our development strategies. We must seize the historical opportunity of building interlinkages between the BRI and Brazil’s development strategy, deepen cooperation in key areas such as economy, trade, infrastructure, finance, science and technology, and environmental protection, and strengthen cooperation in aerospace, agricultural science and technology, and clean energy. China has placed poverty alleviation in a prominent position in state governance and supports Brazil’s ‘Zero Hunger’ plan. It is willing to continue to strengthen poverty reduction cooperation with Brazil so that the people of the two countries can live a better life.
Third, we must share responsibilities and demonstrate the strength of China and Brazil in maintaining world peace and justice. We must practise true multilateralism, make fair remarks and take fair actions, so as to make global governance more just and equitable. China attaches great importance to Brazil’s international status and influence and supports Brazil in playing a greater role on the international stage. China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Brazil at the United Nations, BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms, support Brazil's presidency of BRICS next year, promote high-quality development of greater BRICS cooperation, and make BRICS voice louder on upholding multilateralism and improving global governance.
Fourth, we must share weal and woe and make distinctive contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind. As major developing countries, China and Brazil should take the lead in conducting consultations, promoting global solidarity, jointly addressing global challenges concerning the future of mankind, and strengthening cooperation in such fields as green transformation, sustainable development, climate change, and AI governance. China is willing to support Brazil in hosting the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
一是命运与共，不断巩固战略互信。在涉及主权、安全、领土完整等核心利益问题上坚定相互支持，做彼此信赖的战略伙伴和全球南方国家团结协作、互利共赢、共同发展的典范。加强文化、教育、青年等领域人文交流，夯实中巴命运共同体的民意基础。二是发展与共，持续深化发展战略对接。把握共建“一带一路”倡议同巴西发展战略对接的历史机遇，深化经贸、基础设施、金融、科技、环保等重点领域合作，加强航天、农业科技、清洁能源等领域合作。中方把脱贫攻坚摆在治国理政的突出位置，支持巴方“零饥饿”计划，愿同巴方继续加强减贫合作，让两国人民过上更美好生活。三是担当与共，为维护世界和平和正义展现中巴力量。践行真正的多边主义，坚持说公道话、办公道事，推动全球治理朝着更加公正合理的方向发展。中方高度重视巴西的国际地位和影响力，支持巴西在国际舞台上发挥更大作用，愿同巴方在联合国和金砖国家等多边机制内加强沟通协调，支持巴西明年担任金砖国家主席国工作，助推“大金砖合作”高质量发展，就坚持多边主义、完善全球治理发出更加响亮的金砖声音。四是休戚与共，为构建人类命运共同体作出中巴贡献。中巴作为发展中大国，要带头共商共议，推动“同球共济”，合力应对关乎人类前途命运的全球性挑战。加强在绿色转型、可持续发展、应对气候变化、人工智能治理等领域合作。中方愿支持巴西办好《联合国气候变化框架公约》第三十次缔约方大会.
In terms of outcomes:
The two sides issued a joint statement on jointly building the China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet.
They also signed “more than 30 bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of economy and trade, investment, agriculture, digital economy, sustainable development, science and technology, AI, and global development cooperation.”
They also agreed to a Plan of Cooperation Between the People’s Republic of China and the Federative Republic of Brazil on Synergizing the Belt and Road Initiative with the Growth Acceleration Program, the New Industry Brazil, the Ecological Transformation Plan, and the Program on South American Integration Routes.
The Chinese readout quotes Lula saying that:
“China is Brazil’s most important strategic partner, and the Chinese people are the most trustworthy friends of the Brazilian people.”
“The working groups of the two sides should expeditiously explore and advance cooperation in priority areas such as infrastructure, finance, industrial chain, science and technology, and ecological and environmental protection. The Brazilian side welcomes more Chinese companies to Brazil for investment and cooperation.”
“Brazil opposes a ‘new Cold War”, and advocates a multipolar world and a global partnership based on equality and mutual respect. Brazil is ready to further deepen communication and cooperation with China under multilateral frameworks such as the U.N., BRICS, and the G20 to enhance the voice and influence of the Global South in global governance.”
The list of all the agreements and the full text of the cooperation plan is available on the website of Brazil’s foreign affairs ministry.
The joint statement is available on China’s ministry of foreign affairs’ website. AMong other things, it says:
In the process of connecting the development strategies of the two countries, the two sides will focus on promoting strategic cooperation in the fields of finance, infrastructure, industrial chain development, investment, ecological transformation, scientific and technological innovation. 在两国发展战略对接过程中，双方将重点推进金融、基础设施、产业链发展、投资、生态转型、科技创新等领域的战略性合作.
Both sides recognize the potential for cooperation in national defense and defense industries and agree to enhance high-level exchanges and explore new avenues of cooperation. 双方认为两国在国防和国防工业领域拥有合作潜力，应加强高层交往并探讨新合作设想.
The two sides agreed to set 2026 as the ‘China-Brazil Cultural Year’
Brazil reaffirms its adherence to the one-China principle, recognizes that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all of China. Brazil supports China’s efforts to achieve peaceful reunification of the country. China highly appreciates this. 巴方重申坚持一个中国原则，承认世界上只有一个中国，台湾是中国领土不可分割的一部分，中华人民共和国政府是代表全中国的唯一合法政府。巴方支持中国为实现国家和平统一所作努力。中方对此表示高度赞赏.
Both sides reaffirmed their support for maintaining the authority of the United Nations and supporting the United Nations to play a central role in maintaining international peace and security and promoting development. Both sides believe that it is necessary to reform the United Nations and its Security Council to make them more representative and democratic. Both sides stressed that promoting necessary and reasonable reforms of the Security Council will help enhance the role of developing countries and enable the composition of the Security Council to properly respond to current global challenges. China highly values Brazil’s influence and role in regional and international affairs, understands and supports (理解并支持) Brazil’s desire to play a greater role in the United Nations, including in the Security Council. 双方重申支持维护联合国权威，支持联合国在维护国际和平安全、促进发展上发挥核心作用。双方认为有必要改革联合国及其安理会，使其更具代表性、更民主。双方强调，推动安理会必要、合理改革有利于提升发展中国家作用，使安理会的构成能够妥善回应当前全球挑战。中方高度重视巴西在地区和国际事务中的影响和作用，理解并支持巴西在联合国包括安理会发挥更大作用的愿望.
Both sides believe that China and Brazil, as important representatives of the Global South and members of the G20 and BRICS, have similar positions on major international and regional issues. Both sides emphasise the importance of maintaining the authority and core role of the United Nations and promoting global governance based on multilateralism, international law, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Both sides will further strengthen strategic cooperation at multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the G20, and the BRICS, promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction, and strive to achieve an equal and orderly world multipolarization and inclusive economic globalization. Both sides emphasize that as an example of similar views in the field of international peace and security, the two countries reached the ‘China-Brazil Consensus on the Political Settlement of the Ukrainian Crisis’, promoted the ‘Global South’ countries to hold a high-level meeting on the Ukrainian crisis in New York on September 27, established a ‘Friends of Peace’ group and issued a joint communiqué. 双方认为，中巴作为“全球南方”重要代表、二十国集团和金砖国家成员，在重大国际和地区问题上拥有相近立场。双方强调维护联合国权威和核心作用，推动以多边主义、国际法以及《联合国宪章》宗旨原则为基础的全球治理的重要性。双方将进一步密切在联合国、二十国集团、金砖等多边平台的战略协作，推动国际秩序朝着更加公正合理方向发展，努力实现平等有序的世界多极化和普惠包容的经济全球化。双方强调，作为国际和平与安全领域观点相近的范例，两国达成了《中国、巴西关于政治解决乌克兰危机的共识》，推动“全球南方”国家9月27日在纽约举行关于乌克兰危机的高级别会议，成立“和平之友”小组并发表了联合公报。
Brazil welcomes China’s GDI, GSI and GCI. 巴方欢迎中方提出的全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议.
China supports the Global Alliance to Fight Hunger and Poverty initiated by Brazil; it also backs the Call to Action on Global Governance Reform initiated during Brazil’s chairing of G20. China supports Brazil’s BRICS presidency and supports Brazil in holding the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém in 2025. Both sides agree to deepen China-Latin America overall cooperation.
The two leaders also met the press later. The only additional bit from that to highlight is this:
“President Xi stressed that the world today is far from being tranquil. Many regions are still suffering from conflicts, turmoil and insecurity. Humanity is an indivisible community of security. Only by embracing the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security can countries find a path to universal security. China and Brazil jointly issued the six-point consensus on a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, and launched the group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine crisis together with other Global South countries. The two sides should bring together more voices for peace to pave the way for realizing a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The two sides are deeply concerned about the continued expansion of the conflict in Gaza, and call for realizing a ceasefire and end of hostilities as early as possible, implementing the two-State solution, and working tirelessly for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question. China and Brazil share a tradition and responsibility in upholding justice and moral principles. China will work with Brazil to continually enrich the China-Brazil community with a shared future to enhance its relevance with our times. Together, the two sides will firmly defend true multilateralism, send a powerful message of the new era on pursuing development, cooperation and justice and rejecting poverty, confrontation and hegemonism, and join hands to make the world a better place.”
Second, let’s now look at the new Global Cooperation Initiative on Cross-Border Data Flows, which was detailed by the CAC. It says that:
“We noticed that, while promoting global cross-border data flows, countries are primarily concerned with risks related to national security, public interests, personal privacy, and intellectual property. We believe that the international community should fully respect the different policies and practices adopted by various countries and regions based on their specific conditions. It is crucial to pay heed to each party’s concerns regarding data security and development and to work toward building consensus on cross-border data flow rules through consultation among countries and regions.”
In this context, China has proposed:
Governments should encourage electronic cross-border data transmission to meet the needs of business and social activities. This will help global e-commerce and digital trade serve as new drivers for economic growth and sustainable development.
Governments should respect the regulatory differences of various countries and regions in cross-border data flows. They should support free data flows that do not violate national security, public interests, and personal privacy. Regulations on cross-border data flows should be permitted when they aim to achieve legitimate public policy objectives on the premise that such regulatory measures do not constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction on international trade, and do not cross the limits of the goals they seek to achieve.
Governments should respect security measures taken by all countries in accordance with their laws to protect non-personal data related to national security and public interests, and ensure the secure and orderly cross-border flows of relevant non-personal data.
Governments should respect measures taken by all countries to protect personal information rights and interests including individual privacy. Countries should be encouraged to provide convenient channels for cross-border transmission of personal information on the condition that such information is well protected. Countries should be encouraged to establish and improve legal and supervision frameworks on personal information protection, conduct exchanges on best practices and experiences, improve the compatibility of personal information protection mechanisms and rules, and foster mutual recognition of relevant standards, technology regulations and conformity assessment procedures. Enterprises should be encouraged to obtain personal information protection certifications to demonstrate their compliance with personal information protection standards and ensure the secure and orderly cross-border flows of personal information. (Note: This bit on certification is important)
Governments should support exploring the establishment of negative lists for managing cross-border data flow to promote efficient, convenient and safe cross-border data flow.
Governments should work together to create a data flow and usage environment that is open, inclusive, secure, and non-discriminatory, jointly uphold a fair and just market order, and promote the orderly and healthy development of the digital economy.
Governments should enhance the transparency, predictability, and non-discriminatory nature of measures managing the cross-border flows of various types of data, as well as the interoperability of policy frameworks.
Governments should actively conduct international cooperation in the field of cross-border data flows. Support should be given to developing countries and the least developed countries to enable them to effectively participate in and utilize cross-border data flows so as to promote their digital economic growth. Developed countries should be encouraged to provide capacity building and technical assistance to developing countries, especially the least developed ones, in order to bridge the digital divide and achieve fair and sustainable development.
Governments should encourage the use of digital technologies to promote innovative applications in cross-border data flows. They should improve technological capabilities to ensure efficient, convenient and safe cross-border data flows. They should advance international mutual recognition of evaluation standards for technical and security assurance capabilities related to cross-border data flows, and ensure effective intellectual property protection.
Governments should oppose overstretching the concept of national security on data issues. They should object to making restrictive and differentiated policies on cross-border data flows targeting specific countries and enterprises without factual evidence, or implementing discriminatory restrictions, prohibitions, and other similar measures against specific countries and enterprises.
Governments should prohibit illicit acquisition of data through methods such as setting up backdoors in digital products and services or exploiting vulnerabilities in digital technology infrastructure. They should collaborate to crack down on cross-border illegal activities in the data field and jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and enterprises in all countries.
We are ready to carry out and deepen exchanges and cooperation in the field of cross-border data flows with all parties based on the above initiative. We call on all countries and regions to respond to and endorse the above initiative through bilateral, multilateral, or regional agreements and arrangements. We welcome the support of international organizations, businesses, and civil society for this initiative.”
Third, the paper today has reports on three sackings today.
First, Wang Hao, former vice chairman of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the CPPCC, has been expelled from the Party and removed from public office for serious violations of discipline and laws. As per the report, Wang violated “Party’s political discipline, organisational discipline, integrity discipline, work discipline and life discipline”.
Second, Xu Ying, former deputy director of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, has been expelled from the Party and removed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws. As per the report, Xu violated “Party’s political discipline, organisational discipline, integrity discipline, and life discipline.”
Third, Lou Wenlong, a former vice president of the Agricultural Bank of China, has been expelled from the Party for serious violations of discipline and laws. The report adds that Lou violated “Party’s political discipline, organisational discipline, integrity discipline, work discipline and life discipline”.
Other Stories:
First, ILD chief Liu Jianchao met with a delegation of senior cadres of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) led by Ishwor Pokhrel, who is senior Vice-president of CPN (UML).
The report says: Liu said that “China has always viewed and developed China-Nepal relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. It is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges with Nepal, enhance strategic communication, firmly support each other on issues involving each other’s core interests, deepen cooperation in areas such as the joint development of BRI, and promote more achievements in building a China-Nepal community with a shared future. China welcomes the Nepalese delegation’s participation in the second Global South Think Tank Dialogue and the Global South Think Tank Cooperation Alliance. China is willing to work with Global South countries, including Nepal, to strengthen unity and cooperation and promote the construction of a more just and reasonable new international political and economic order.” 刘建超表示，中国和尼泊尔是山水相连、命运与共的亲密邻邦。中方始终从战略高度和长远角度看待和发展中尼关系，愿同尼方加强高层交往，增进战略沟通，在涉及彼此核心利益问题上坚定相互支持，深化共建“一带一路”等领域合作，推动构建中尼命运共同体取得更多成果。中方欢迎考察团来华参加第二届“全球南方”智库对话会，参与“全球南方”智库合作联盟，愿同包括尼泊尔在内的“全球南方”国家一道，加强团结协作，推动建设更加公正合理的国际政治经济新秩序.
Liu added that “the CPC is willing to deepen exchanges at all levels with the CPN (UML), strengthen political mutual trust, enhance the exchange and mutual learning of governance experience, and promote pragmatic cooperation in various fields to better benefit the two countries and their peoples. The CPC supports Nepal in choosing a development path that aligns with its national conditions.” 新形势下，中国共产党愿同尼共（联）加强各层级交往，深化政治互信，加强治国理政经验交流互鉴，增进各领域务实合作，更好造福两国和两国人民。中国共产党支持尼方选择符合本国国情的发展道路.
Pokhrel had a lot of praise for China. He talked about the CPN (UML) being willing to “deepen exchanges and mutual learning of experience in party and state governance, and strengthen cooperation in people-to-people exchanges, education, sub-national levels and other fields to promote new achievements in the construction of socialism in each country.” He added: Nepal firmly adheres to the one-China principle and will never allow anyone to use Nepal’s territory to engage in anti-China activities. It supports and is willing to actively participate in the important initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping at the BRICS+ Leaders’ Dialogue to establish a Global South Think Tanks Alliance, and is willing to work closely with China to play an active role in enhancing Nepal-China friendship.” 尼方坚定奉行一个中国原则，绝不允许任何人利用尼领土从事反华活动，支持并愿积极参与习近平主席在“金砖+”领导人对话会上提出的成立“全球南方”智库合作联盟的重要倡议，愿同中方密切合作，为增进尼中友好发挥积极作用.
Second, there’s a report on Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong’s visit to Liaoning. Xinhua reports:
“Wang ordered a comprehensive inspection to identify security risks such as social conflicts and disputes, seek solutions to those risks, and ensure that the conclusion of cases leads to the real settlement of the disputes involved. He called on police forces to strengthen risk prevention and control measures for certain key links and enhance patrol in public spaces. He also urged efforts to enhance new-quality combat capabilities of the police, as well as efforts to improve police abilities in the identification, efficient handling and resolution of risks, and in the issuance of early warnings”.