Flavio Bolsonaro says he would work with China and US as Brazil’s president

Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, indicated on Thursday that he would work with both the United States and China if elected as Brazil's president. Speaking at an event in Brasilia, Bolsonaro stated that his focus would be on serving the Brazilian people, regardless of whether it involved engaging with China, Israel, the Middle East, Argentina, or India.

This statement came after Bolsonaro secured approximately two percentage points more in the first-round election against incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, according to a Datafolha poll released on Thursday evening. The poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, projected Bolsonaro to receive 52% of valid votes compared to Lula's 48%.

In the upcoming run-off election on October 25, Bolsonaro is expected to receive 52% of the vote, compared to Lula's 48%, based on the same poll. The Datafolha survey, conducted from October 6 to 7, polled 2,520 individuals and had a 95% confidence level. Bolsonaro's victory would see Brazil align with a series of right-wing leaders across South America who support US President Donald Trump.

Bolsonaro, who visited Trump at the White House in May, has pledged to collaborate with the Trump administration on trade and crime issues while proposing to join the US-led Shield of the Americas security initiative. However, Brazil's economy remains heavily reliant on China, as it is the country's largest trading partner and the primary buyer of agricultural exports.

Chinese companies have also heavily invested in sectors such as energy, electric vehicles, and manufacturing in Brazil, and numerous Chinese-produced consumer goods are regularly imported into the country.