BEIJING, Jan 23 (Reuters) - China and Brazil should safeguard the shared interests of the Global South and jointly maintain the United Nations' core role, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Brazilian counterpart on Friday, state news agency Xinhua said.
In a telephone call with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Xi stressed that both countries are constructive forces in safeguarding world peace and improving global governance, the agency added.
"China is willing to remain a good friend
and partner to Latin American and Caribbean countries," Xi told Lula, reiterating a long-time stance on regional ties.
It looked to advance the building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future, he added.
A 2024 strategic partnership to align China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Brazil's plans to boost farming, infrastructure, and the energy transition exemplifies solidarity and cooperation among Global South countries, Xi said.
At a Group of 20 meeting that year Xi unveiled measures related to the BRI as well as science and technology, aimed at support for the Global South.
Friday's talks came weeks after the Trump administration seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to be prosecuted in the United States on narcotics charges.
That threw Caracas into political uncertainty, and set its Latin America and Caribbean neighbours worrying about similar interventions by force on their turf.
The United Nations has criticised the U.S. raid as an act that did not respect international law, setting a dangerous precedent with potential implications for the region.
(Reporting by Liz Lee and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
