"What percentage of China's energy comes from solar and hydropower?" On the evening of October 14, the day they arrived in China, members of a cultural and media group from Brazil posed this question at the dinner table.

After learning that "as of June 30, the installed capacity of renewable energy (wind, solar, hydro and biomass) in China had reached 1.653 billion kilowatts, accounting for about 53.8 percent of the country's total installed capacity," they nodded in satisfaction and continued their meal.

This group of nine renowned Brazilian cultural and media professionals were invited to China to engage in cultural exchanges in Beijing, Sichuan Province, Zhejiang Province, and Shanghai from October 14 to 25, under the DiscoverChina: Brazilian Cultural Figures' Tour, which was co-hosted by China International Communications Group (CICG) Center for the Americas, in collaboration with Kwai, a social network for sharing short videos and trends. Themed Explore Dynamic China and Embrace China-Brazil Friendship, the tour aimed to present a comprehensive and accurate image of China and promote mutual understanding between the peoples of China and Brazil.

Kelly Dores, a journalist from Brazilian media agency Propmark said, "I'm glad to see that China has been working hard to build a platform for communication between the peoples of China and Brazil, which is very important."

Among the nine group members, seven were visiting China for the first time. However, Ricardo Piquet, General Director of the Institute of Development and Management in Brazil and President of the Museum of Tomorrow, had visited China twice before, in 2006 and 2016 respectively. He expressed his happiness to be in China again to witness how the country has transformed in such a short time. "I have come to testify and wish that this rapprochement between China and Brazil happens in the best possible way," he said.

A dialogue

On October 16, after viewing the Beautiful China, Beautiful Brazil—Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of China-Brazil Diplomatic Relations photo exhibition at the China-Latin America Cultural Exchange Center in Beijing, the nine tour participants engaged in a special dialogue with Chinese experts and some Brazilians residing in China.

"If you regularly read news about China, please raise your hand," Filipe Porto, a Brazilian editor working at CICG Americas, said, addressing the nine tour members. Everyone raised their hands. Then Porto said, "If you think Brazilian media does a good job in reporting on China, please raise your hand." No one raised their hand.

This led to a discussion on the challenges of promoting a true image of China in Brazil.

Wesley Gonsalves, a reporter for the São Paulo-based newspaper Estadão, noted, "The influence of American media such as The New York Times is significant in Brazil; their reports on the Chinese economy affect Brazilian perceptions. The influence of Chinese economic media in Brazil still needs to be strengthened."

Mauro Ramos Pintos, the China correspondent for the TV dos Trabalhadores network in Brazil, participated as a guest in this dialogue. He explained that Brazilians' misconceptions about China stem from the reporting of large international media outlets, which represents the interests of the Global North rather than those of Brazil. As a reporter in China, he is working to understand China and convey this understanding to Brazilians.

Brazilian food blogger Larissa Soares, a member of the tour group, expressed a desire to see more cultural content beyond economic statistics and political topics, such as Chinese cuisines, to enhance China's appeal through food programs.

Professor Xiang Yunju, Executive Dean of the Academy for International Communication of Chinese Culture at Beijing Normal University, introduced a project inviting many young Brazilian students to China to shoot documentaries. He stressed that film and cultural exchanges can strengthen understanding between the peoples of the two countries. He mentioned a Brazilian youth from the University of São Paulo who came to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 2015 to film a documentary reflecting local family life, which won several awards at international film festivals and garnered significant attention on Chinese social media. Eight years later, the documentary's director was invited back to China to film the same family again. Xiang said that this is a testament to the enduring friendship between the peoples of China and Brazil.

Participants of the dialogue also exchanged ideas on accurately reporting China-Brazil economic and cultural cooperation, and the social responsibility of Chinese enterprises in Brazil, and on enhancing the exchanges between cultural and media professionals of the two countries.

Reading China

During their 12-day visit, the tour members admired the beauty of ancient Chinese architecture in the Forbidden City of Beijing and closely observed giant pandas in a base in Dujiangyan City of Sichuan. Travelling through Zhejiang, they experienced the development of China's short video industry and e-commerce livestreaming in Hangzhou, experienced the value China places on the environment in Yucun Village of Anji County, and visited Yiwu to learn how the Yixinou (Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe) Railway, a China-Europe freight train route, connects the city with the world. They also explored the way technology empowers museums at the Shanghai Natural History Museum, and conducted interviews at Lilith Games in Shanghai about the topic of Chinese games going global.

They documented the different aspects of China they discovered during the event.

Mariana Alonso, planning director for morning news on the Brazilian television network Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão, noted that the geographical distance between China and Brazil might give the impression that "we are extremely different culturally; but in fact, there are many points of convergence between the two cultures."

In Dujiangyan, a city famous for its ancient irrigation system, Gonsalves was also excited to see the giant pandas. He said, "The work being done to protect giant pandas is very important. Many animals are facing extinction; and China's investment in such large-scale animal protection is, I think, really sweet." He also expressed his surprise at the abundance of greenery he saw, which contrasted with his previous impressions of China as an industrialized and technologically driven country without much natural green landscape.

Brazilian travel blogger Lipe Camanzano noted that all the cities he visited are remarkably eco-friendly, with full-fledged city cleaning, waste recycling, sewage treatment and water supply systems.

"As we walked along, amid the bustling crowds and flowing traffic, we hardly heard the noise of engines because the roads were filled with electric vehicles. This truly attracted me," Camanzano remarked. "ESG (environmental, social and governance) standards are issues of global concern. In this regard, I feel that China is ahead."

Priscilla Borges, editor of the economic and social section of the Brazilian news website Metrópoles, was deeply impressed by the Yowant X27 Theme Park in Hangzhou, a commercial complex designed for e-commerce livestreaming. "I never even imagined a place like this. I had no idea such a thing existed. At the same time, I saw how much profits it generates and how well it works," she said.

"I think we have a lot to explore and learn about China still," Borges added.

Piquet's greatest interest during the tour was in Chinese museums and the technological elements within them. When meeting with Ni Minjing, curator of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, he expressed a desire to establish cooperation with the museum.

"I believe, and this is my expectation, that we can create partnerships and bring some technological experiences from here to Brazilian museums. And more than that, to perhaps bring content from museums in Brazil that is related to science, the future, nature and the planet," he said.

Regiane Texeira is the senior manager of media relations for Kwai Brazil. She is very interested in China and often seeks out Chinese food and products when in Brazil.

"I feel they are now part of my personality. I joked with my friends that my dream was to take this tour, and I'm fulfilling that dream here by bringing other people along and introducing them to China," Texeira said excitedly.

At the end of the trip, the participants were in agreement that the event gave them a fresh impression of China.

(Print Edition Title: Gaining New Perspectives)

(Wei Mingxin, Wang Jinxu and Filipe Porto contributed to this article)

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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