Brazil welcomes China's participation in transcontinental railway project

The Brazilian government said Tuesday that it welcomes China as a bidder for railway projects in Brazil, particularly those related to a proposed transcontinental railway linking the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts.

The announcement came amid a joint statement issued by China and Brazil after visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

The two sides said that the bilateral railway cooperation would be vital to infrastructure integration in South America and sustained development of infrastructure networks, according to the statement.

The two countries welcome the launch of a joint study of the feasibility of building a railway connecting the Brazilian Atlantic coast with the Peruvian Pacific coast, it said.

In July 2014, China, Brazil and Peru pledged concerted efforts to build a railway that runs across the South American continent, after a meeting of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Brazilian and Peruvian counterparts in Brazil.

The railway will not only help South America improve its transportation system and promote regional trade, but also will boost the trade and economic cooperation between China and Latin American countries.

Li arrived here Monday for an official visit to Brazil, which is the first stop of his four-nation Latin America tour, his first to the region since he assumed premiership in 2013. Besides Brazil, Li will also visit Colombia, Peru and Chile till May 26. Endi