The Center for Brazil-China Studies at Fundação Getulio Vargas’ Rio de Janeiro Law School and Professor Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, the center’s coordinator, recently received the Brazil-China Fraternal Integration Cross of Merit. This honor was created in 2003 with the goal of strengthening social, cultural and economic ties between the two countries.

A special 20^th anniversary edition of the Sino-Brazilian Merit Ceremony was held at the House of Representatives in Brasilia on January 26, amid the Chinese New Year celebrations. During the event, officials from the executive and legislative branches of government in both countries received recognition.

The Center for Brazil-China Studies is the first center at a Brazilian law school to be focused entirely on researching Chinese legal culture. According to Professor Carvalho, the recognition given by Brazilian and Chinese lawmakers to the center demonstrates that the work done by it, with the support of the FGV Rio de Janeiro Law School, has been successful.

Carvalho, who has been dedicated to studying and promoting relations with China for 10 years, said the award will encourage him to continue to deepen Sino-Brazilian academic relations, thereby boosting Brazil’s development. “By immersing myself in knowledge about China, I discovered a new horizon, a new field of vision and another way of looking at myself and the world. I strive to share everything I have learned, while continuing to learn from my many Chinese and Brazilian friends who are dedicated to strengthening Sino-Brazilian relations,” he said.

The ceremony was held at Congress, hosted by the Senate and House Brazil-China cross-party interest groups, the Joint Congressional Group for Strengthening Cooperation Among BRICS Countries, the House Brazil-BRICS group and the Joint Congressional Group to Defend International Trade and Investment, in partnership with the Sovereign Order of Brazil-China Fraternal Integration.

The following officials took part in the opening panel discussion: federal representative Perpétua Almeida, who is the chairwoman of the Joint Congressional Group for Strengthening Cooperation Among BRICS Countries; Li Han Guang, the CEO of XCMG Brasil Indústria and official representative of the presidency of the Brazilian Association of Chinese Companies (ABEC); federal representative Luís Miranda, who chairs the House Brazil-BRICS group; Senator Roberto Rocha, who chairs the Senate Brazil-China cross-party interest group; the sports minister, Ana Moser; Jorginho Mello, the governor of Santa Catarina; and Wilson Lima, the governor of Amazonas.

Professor Carvalho was presented with the Brazil-China Fraternal Integration Cross of Merit by federal representative Luís Miranda and Thomas Law, the president of the Brazil-China Social and Cultural Institute, who also chairs the Brazilian Bar Association’s Brazil-China National Committee.