李克强总理出访巴西 深化两国合作

At a business summit in Brasilia, Premier Li Keqiang put forward the "Three Times Three" model to further promote SINO-Latin American cooperation in production capacity and equipment manufacturing.

He also proposed priorities for the construction of three passages for logistics, electricity, and information, in a bid to achieve inter-connectivity on the continent.

Also during his stay in Brazil, Li witnessed the groundbreaking for the Belo Monte power transmission project.

It will be built by China's State Grid Corporation and the first of its kind overseas using China's ultra high voltage transmission technology.

Mauricio Tolmasquim is head of Brazil Energy Research Company, which commissioned the project.

He says Chinese capability is impressive.

"We only hope the project will be completed as scheduled. It's one of our main requirements for contractors. The State Grid is of great capability. We hope they can continue to bid for our projects in the future."

Tolmasquim's company also designs guidelines for the development of Brazil's energy industry.

He believes bilateral cooperation in developing power transmission capacity, solar power, wind energy, and oil drilling will gain momentum.

Tolmasquim also expresses preference for Chinese firms.

"We are confident of Chinese technologies in the energy industry. It's important. And many Chinese enterprises have abundant funds, enabling them to invest abroad, while Brazil is in an urgent demand of investment that can't be met by domestic companies, so Chinese firms can take full advantage of their technologies and money."

Tolmasquim adds that Brazil not only needs China's equipment, but also hopes more Chinese enterprises, especially Chinese wind turbine makers, set up plants in his country.

Premier Li Keqiang's trip came four months after President Xi Jinping pledged $250 billion in investment in Latin America over the next 10 years.

Highlights of the premier's visit also included an agreement on a joint feasibility study for a transcontinental railway and a multi-billion-U.S.-dollar currency swap pact with Chile.

Many local entrepreneurs expect the newly-reached agreements to create new points of growth on the continent, which has become an investment destination for China.

Bilateral trade between China and Latin America rose to over 260 billion U.S. dollars last year, compared with about 12 billion dollars in 2000.

China is Latin America's second-largest trading partner and third-largest investor, with direct investment there approaching 100 billion dollars by the end of last year.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.