FGV’s Rio de Janeiro Law School (Direito Rio) will host the 1^st Brazil-China Seminar: Regulatory and Legal Challenges for Chinese Companies and Investments in Brazil, on August 3, in Rio de Janeiro. Held in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Chinese companies, the event will help strengthen bilateral relations from the perspective of Brazilian and International Law.

“The Chinese are increasingly aware of how the Brazilian legal system considerably affects the success of their businesses. Their perception is that our Law is extremely complex and not so business-friendly. Promoting dialogue between Chinese companies and FGV’s Law professors is an initiative that might help promote a better understanding of our legal system, in more pragmatic way, ultimately improving bilateral relations between Brazil and China,” said Rio de Janeiro Law School (Direito Rio) professor Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, Coordinator of the Center for China-Brazil Studies.

Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, responsible for the seminar’s scientific coordination alongside the Director of CNOOC Brazil, Jia Yao, points out that China has been Brazil’s top trading partner since 2009 and one of the country’s main investors. The professor pointed out that China invested approximately US$ 12 billion last year, twice as much as the U.S., which ranked second. The Asian country has already invested USD 6 billion in Brazil in the first four months this year.

“The Brazil-China Cooperation Fund for the Expansion of Production Capacity was recently created with an investment of up to USD 20 billion, USD 15 billion of which will be provided by the Chinese and the remainder by Brazil. This Fund will invest in priority projects within Brazilian infrastructure sectors. And in the state of Rio de Janeiro, where the event will be held, the Chinese reportedly plan to invest BRL 32 billion in infrastructure, energy, and telecommunications projects, among others,” said Evandro Menezes Carvalho.

The FGV professor remembers that China has been acquiring or installing several companies in Brazil, operated by professionals from both countries. According to him, there is an exchange of experiences and corporate culture that may have a positive impact in the field of business administration, promoting a better understanding of different views surrounding customer relations and brand positioning.

“If Brazilians’ experience in these companies is leveraged to its full potential, this could help Brazil’s business activities in China. This rationale applies to the legal field. The more legal professionals relate to these companies, the more they learn about how the Chinese view business, which may favor Brazilian companies in the Asian country. Considering the significant knowledge gap between the two countries, the seminar will be the first initiative in Brazil to bring together Chinese companies and legal professionals in a structured way,” said the professor.

For more information and registrations, click here.