Hangzhou summit to benefit all G20 members: Brazilian president

Brazilian President Michel Temer (R) receives interviews in Hangzhou, capital city of Wast China's Zhejiang province, Sept 3, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

HANGZHOU - Newly-installed Brazilian President Michel Temer said Saturday that he has high expectations for the upcoming G20 summit and believes it will bring benefits to all its members.

The Brazilian leader made the remarks in an interview with Chinese journalists prior to the leaders' meeting, which will mark his first appearance as head of state at a major international occasion.

He was sworn in as Brazil's president on Wednesday after lawmakers ousted his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff, in an impeachment vote.

Temer noted that the G20 is a heavyweight international organization and this year's summit features such subjects as innovation and climate change, which Brazil also cares about.

He said he is full of positive expectations for its outcome.

"I think this G20 summit will bring benefits to all its members, particularly to our country," said the president, who is to join other G20 leaders at the two-day summit starting Sunday.

He spoke highly of the integration and interaction among G20 members, and also spoke of the upcoming summit of the emerging-market bloc of BRICS -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- in October in India.

International mechanisms like the G20 and BRICS not only help their members strengthen relations but also help them boost their respective development, noted the Brazilian president.

The Hangzhou summit involves the largest number of developing countries in the G20's history, which will help these countries promote common development, he added. He also expressed confidence in the BRICS framework.

On Brazil-China relations, the Brazilian leader said the relationship enjoys a very solid foundation and is currently at its best in history, as high-level bilateral contacts have greatly boosted bilateral diplomatic and trade ties.

"China is one of Brazil's largest trading partners. Though geographically far apart, our two countries are getting closer and closer," the president said.

Citing a series of cooperation deals the two sides signed on Friday during his stopover in Shanghai en route to Hangzhou, Temer hailed the bilateral partnership as a paradigm for integrated development of the world economy.

He hoped China will continue to open up its market to Brazil's soybeans, meat and other agro-products.

The president, who has long served as the Brazilian chairman of the China-Brazil High-Level Coordination and Cooperation Committee, said the mechanism made new progress in each of its last four sessions and has laid a solid foundation for bilateral ties.

He suggested that he might continue to lead the committee in the future.

Commenting on China's economy, he noted that the world's second largest economy has registered higher growth rates than many other countries, and the Chinese model has inspired many followers.

"China sets an example by being confident in its own economy at a time when the global economy is beset with difficulties," he said, adding that China's development experience is very useful to Brazil.

The South American country is striving to ride out the worst recession in its recent history. Its economy contracted by 3.8 percent in 2015 and is expected to shrink by 3.16 percent in 2016.

Touching upon Brazil's domestic situation, Temer said he is committed to restoring public confidence and judicial security, and pledged to protect the interests of foreign investors.