Brazil Declines China's Belt and Road Initiative, Joining India in Diplomatic Shift

In a major diplomatic move, Brazil has decided to not join China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). With this decision, Brazil becomes the second country in the BRICS group, after India, to decline participation in the multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure project. Due to Brazil's hesitancy to join China's powerful global campaign, the move has generated a lot of interest and discussion. 

Under the direction of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and with input from his special presidential adviser for foreign issues, Celso Amorim, the decision indicates Brazil's intention to explore other avenues of cooperation with China outside of the BRI framework.

Brazil’s Foreign Policy Towards China

Brazil wants to "take the relationship with China to a new level" without committing to a BRI accession deal, according to Celso Amorim. Amorim stressed in an interview with the Brazilian newspaper O Globo that Brazil does not believe that formal BRI participation is required to forge closer commercial ties with China.

Brazil instead anticipates a strategy that aligns with its own infrastructure initiatives by selectively incorporating components of the Belt and Road framework. According to Amorim, the objective is to investigate "synergy" between Brazilian infrastructure projects and BRI-affiliated investment funds without formally supporting or joining the initiative. Brazil's intention to maintain its independence while interacting with Chinese investors on its own terms is reflected in this balanced approach.

Brazil Decides Not to Join China’s BRI

The decision to not join BRI was made just weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to visit Brasilia on November 20. It was expected that a major agenda item during his visit would be Brazil's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative. Brazil's admission would have been a significant diplomatic victory for Beijing, demonstrating the BRI's appeal within the BRICS framework and bolstering its credibility. However, according to various media reports, Brazil's foreign affairs and economic ministries have opposed the government from joining the project, pointing to worries about its possible political outcomes and advantages.

With Brazil and India choosing not to participate, the BRICS bloc is split on the BRI, indicating that not all of its members are ready to embrace China's main project. China's capacity to utilize BRICS as a forum to further its geopolitical goals may be impacted in the long run by this divide.

ALSO READ: Which Indian Language Made It to the U.S. 2025 Election Ballots—and Why?

ALSO READ: Why RBI is Moving its Gold Back from England: Key Reasons Explained