Brazil-China relations at stake amid Brasília sending diplomat to Taipei

A recent appointment by Brasília has nuances that went almost unnoticed but did not escape the most astute observers of the Brazil-China relationship, which turns 50 this week, writes Marcelo Ninio in the newspaper O Globo. Nonetheless, Beijing believes that Brazil will not sway from conforming to the ‘One China’ principle.

According to the columnist, Brasília appointed an ambassador of the same hierarchical level as the head of the Brazilian mission in China to work in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. Since establishing diplomatic ties with China in 1974, Brazil has strictly followed the principle of the One China policy. Therefore, the change observed in a decree on June 14 attracted attention.

Luís Cláudio Villafañe Gomes Santos was appointed “to serve as head of the Brazilian Commercial Office in Taipei,” reported the columnist. Santos is a “first-class minister,” the highest position in the diplomatic career, also known as “ambassador.”

Until now, Brazil has sought to fill the position of head of the office in Taipei with a professional of lower hierarchical rank to make it clear that the office does not have the status of a diplomatic mission and to avoid friction with Beijing. This is the case of Miguel Magalhães, who returned to Brasília on August 11 after four years in the position. Although he headed the Brazilian Embassy in Iraq, his rank is “second-class minister,” one below the maximum, explains Ninio.

Another new feature in the decree is the omission of the Brazilian Consulate in Tokyo, to which the representation in Taiwan is subordinate. The link usually appeared in previous appointments, showing that Taipei is not an independent mission. The nuances were noted by diplomats familiar with the subject, causing concern among them, as reported by the columnist.

In conversations on condition of anonymity, three former Brazilian ambassadors who have served in China and/or Taiwan expressed surprise at the change and pointed to the risk of causing issues with Beijing. In theory, they point out that the change could be mistakenly interpreted as an “upgrade” of Brazilian representation in Taiwan. However, according to the Rio de Janeiro-based outlet, this was not the intention.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry told the column it was unaware of the change but sent a message through its spokesperson.

“There is only One China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. I believe that the Brazilian government will continue to adhere to the One China principle unswervingly,” the spokesperson said.

Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province that rightfully belongs to China under the One China policy. The self-ruled island has not formally declared independence despite claiming so and continues to maintain close ties with Western countries, especially the United States.

“It is possible that the mistake will not cause major damage to relations with China at a time when the country is in a honeymoon period with Brazil. But it reinforces the impression among some diplomats that the time when the reputation of the Brazilian foreign service was summed up in one phrase: ‘Itamaraty does not improvise’ is long gone,” concluded the author.

It is recalled that Brazil’s foreign minister Mauro Vieira received his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Brasília in January in the context of the fourth Global Strategic Dialogue, the first meeting of the mechanism between the two countries since 2019. The ministers at the time discussed economic and trade issues, security in Gaza and Ukraine, climate change and facilitating the movement of people.

“China is Brazil’s largest trading partner, the destination of 30% of Brazilian exports and a major investor in the country,” Brazil’s Foreign Ministry highlighted.

In addition to their deep economic relations, Brasília and Beijing are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Sino-Brazilian diplomatic relations, which is focusing on political, academic, and cultural events.

At the time of his meeting with Wang Yi, Vieira reinforced with his Chinese counterpart that Brazil adheres to the One China policy. This is not a new directive from the Brazilian government, but the statement especially carries weight because it was made days after the election in Taiwan, a Chinese region that has been seeking more autonomy with the support of the United States.

“I reiterate Brazil’s historic, consistent and unequivocal support for the one-China principle, as per the declaration adopted by the two presidents [Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Xi Jinping ],” said the Brazilian minister.

In effect, the appointment of a Brazilian diplomat to Taipei is unlikely to lead to a massive overhaul of Brazil’s foreign policy, particularly relating to the recognition of Taiwan as an independent state. However, the appointment serves as a signal to Washington that Brazil is not just a neo-colony of China but an independent country striving to become Latin America’s most powerful country. Whether Brazil will achieve this ambition remains to be seen, but the task will be almost impossible without external support, demonstrating that there is a long way to go before Brazil reaches Great Power status.