China and Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding which gives both countries direct access to data from the satellites the two countries jointly developed, launched and operated.

The document was signed by the president of the China Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application, Xu Wen, and the general director of Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Gilberto Camara, in the Brazilian city of Sao Jose dos Campos, where the INPE headquarters are located.

The INPE said on Monday the agreement has made the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite Program (CBERS) global. The CBERS is a joint remote sensing system for agriculture, meteorology and the environment.

"The documents strengthen the cooperation between both countries on the peaceful use of space technology and define the data policy to distribute the CBERS images," the INPE said in a statement.

CBERS images are used to monitor the environment, measure deforestation in the Amazons and help urban planning, among others purposes.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2010)