An innovative future for Global South

The global financial crisis of 2008 and the ongoing disruption of supply chains have made it evident that the Global South cannot rely exclusively on solutions developed elsewhere.

To be technologically resilient, Global South nations must strengthen their scientific institutions, develop industrial and innovation capabilities, and establish partnerships that enable them to generate, absorb, adapt and deploy knowledge in accordance with their own economic and social priorities.

In this context, the partnership between China and Brazil presents significant opportunities to advance this agenda. By connecting Asia and Latin America through two of the developing world's largest and most influential countries, the alliance creates a powerful platform for scientific cooperation, technological progress and sustainable development across the Global South.

China offers formidable scale and expertise in manufacturing, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, renewable energy, electric mobility, space technology and infrastructure. In 2025, its research and development spending reached about 3.93 trillion yuan ($587.14 billion), or 2.8 percent of its GDP. Basic research accounted for roughly 283.4 billion yuan. These figures reflect a system that has strengthened universities, laboratories and engineering capacity while linking scientific research to industrial production.

China's edge is not just in invention but in its ability to transform scientific knowledge into scalable technologies, reducing costs and adapting them to diverse circumstances.

Brazil is not just a potential customer for Chinese technology but also a co-creator. Its universities, public institutes and companies have expertise in tropical agriculture, biofuels, biodiversity, public health, offshore engineering, environmental monitoring and aerospace. Brazil's experience in ethanol, hydropower and other renewable sources also offers valuable lessons for nations aiming to reduce emissions without compromising growth.

China is Brazil's largest trading partner, and Brazil is among China's most important economic partners in Latin America. This relationship should not be measured only in terms of soybean shipments, minerals or manufactured imports. Its true value lies in whether trade and investment foster research net-works, high-value industries, digital services and clean technology. In 2025, the two countries signed 20 cooperation documents covering the fields of development strategy alignment, science and technology, agriculture, digital economy, finance, inspection and quarantine, and media. The real test now is implementation: funded programs, clear timetables and measurable results.

Energy collaboration can be a promising start. Brazil's expertise in hydropower, ethanol, biomass, offshore resources and renewable electricity complements China's advancements in solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles, energy storage and smart grid equipment. Joint work could propel progress in efficient smart power networks, energy generation and energy storage besides low-carbon industrial processes and carbon management. The real prize is not a larger market for imported equipment but local manufacturing, engineering centers, testing facilities and regional supply chains. This model would link decarbonization with job creation, industrial upgrading, energy security and technological capability, and produce solutions tailored to emerging economies.

Food security is another priority. Brazil's tropical farming knowledge can complement Chinese advances in machinery, biotechnology, precision agriculture, remote sensing and digital platforms. Research could raise yields while reducing water consumption, fertilizer use and pesticide dependence. Cooperation among Chinese enterprises, Brazilian universities, research bodies and farmer organizations has supported agricultural mechanization programs. The key lies in combining equipment, training, research and local adaptation.

Space cooperation is an important frontier. The China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite program supports the observation of land use, forests, water, agriculture and disasters. In July 2025, the two countries announced the joint development of CBERS-5, a meteorological and environmental satellite to be positioned over Brazilian territory, embedding technology and knowledge transfer in the agreement. The next phase should connect satellite data to AI, climate models and public decisions, enabling better management of farms, cities and water resources.

Digital cooperation can reinforce these efforts through a China-Brazil partnership to build energy-efficient data centers in Brazil, powered by renewable electricity and connected to secure cloud-computing networks. Chinese companies could work with Brazilian telecommunications providers, energy companies, universities and public authorities to develop facilities that expand national capacity for AI, high-performance computing, cybersecurity and digital public services. By linking data centers to Brazil's clean-energy resources and growing digital economy, the initiative could position the country as a regional digital hub for Latin America and a model for other developing societies.

China and Brazil should establish a permanent China-Brazil Global South Innovation Partnership. Its first priorities should be clean energy, climate-resilient food systems, satellite-enabled environmental management and responsible digital infrastructure. It is a proposal for a working institution that connects scientific research to manufacturing, finance and public needs.

At present, China-Brazil cooperation is primarily grounded in trade. This commercial foundation is essential. Commerce creates the conditions for partnership, while science, technology and innovation can help determine its future. By transforming economic interdependence into joint research, industrial cooperation and the development of shared technological capabilities, China and Brazil can build a partnership that generates lasting value for both countries and shows that the Global South is not merely a recipient of technology, but a source of knowledge, a producer of advanced goods and the architect of the international innovation system.

The author is a former tourism minister of Brazil, a distinguished professor at Tsinghua University and a professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in Shenzhen.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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