Dilma Rousseff on China
TL;DR
Dilma Rousseff views China as a critical partner, emphasizing multilateral cooperation and shared development opportunities within global institutions.
Key Points
She met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shanghai in September 2024 to discuss strengthening cooperation between the NDB and China.
Rousseff has framed the current geopolitical tension as a systemic conflict between neoliberalism and socialism, placing China on the latter side.
As NDB President, she confirmed in October 2024 that Brazil could find opportunities related to the Belt and Road Initiative.
Summary
Dilma Rousseff, in her capacity as President of the New Development Bank (NDB), has demonstrated a strong commitment to deepening institutional ties and economic cooperation with China, which she regards as a vital partner for global development finance. She has actively engaged with high-level Chinese officials, including meeting President Xi Jinping in Shanghai, to discuss enhancing collaboration between the NDB and Chinese initiatives. Furthermore, Rousseff has positioned the US-China conflict as fundamentally a struggle between neoliberalism and socialism, suggesting a historical lens through which she views the relationship.
Her recent activities emphasize leveraging China's global infrastructure plans for Brazilian benefit, suggesting a pragmatic approach to maximizing economic outcomes for her nation. As NDB President, she has indicated that Brazil may benefit from opportunities associated with the Belt and Road Initiative, signaling a desire to align with China's growing international economic architecture. This posture reflects a consistent view prioritizing multilateralism and South-South cooperation over geopolitical confrontation.
Key Quotes
I think Brazil has to take advantage of all the opportunities that come its way.
“China's success reflects the growth dynamism and potential of the Global South, which, by 2030, is projected to account for nearly two-thirds of global GDP,”
“China's reform and opening up never ends,”
Frequently Asked Questions
Currently, Dilma Rousseff is serving as the President of the New Development Bank (NDB), a role that requires close institutional engagement with China, a key member of the BRICS group that founded the bank. In this capacity, she actively seeks to strengthen financial and development partnerships between the bank and Chinese entities.
Her stated position appears consistent across her current role and past political commentary, emphasizing strong multilateral ties and viewing the US-China dynamic through a structural ideological lens. She presents a unified front of support for enhanced cooperation between Brazil and China.
Dilma Rousseff once characterized the ongoing conflict between the United States and China as an ideological struggle. She described the situation as one pitting neoliberalism against socialism, aligning China with the latter perspective.
Sources5
New Development Bank President Dilma Rousseff met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shanghai
In China, BRICS Bank President Dilma Rousseff says Brazil may enjoy opportunities with the Belt and Road
Brazils ex-president Dilma Rousseff: US-China conflict is neoliberalism vs socialism
Brazilian Consul General in Los Angeles Met with NDB President Dilma Rousseff
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.