Brazil and China have signed deals for the sale of 35 Brazilian Embraer commercial jets to two Chinese airlines and for Embraer to begin assembling business jets in China.
The deals were announced Tuesday as Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff met with her Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao in Beijing. Ms. Rousseff is on her first visit to China since taking office in January.
The two countries also signed agreements to boost cooperation in areas ranging from energy to agriculture.
China has recently passed the United States as Brazil's largest trading partner and is now the South American country's biggest source of foreign investment. Brazil is Latin America's biggest economy.
China's official Xinhua news agency has quoted Ms. Rousseff as saying in an interview that she wants to expand Brazil's strategic partnership with China. She told Xinhua the countries are strategic partners "in all areas" and that the relationship provides benefits to both countries.
While in China, Ms. Rousseff is scheduled to attend a summit Thursday of leaders from the so-called BRICS nations, which include Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Some infornation for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
Brazil, China Sign Bilateral Deals
![Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff (l) toasts with China's President Hu Jintao after a signing ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, April 12, 2011](https://gdb.voanews.com/6d80e3a0-0d7c-4276-8c5e-41b7792a59e5_w250_r1_s.jpg)