{
  "id": 11530725,
  "title": "Brazil’s Lula hails ‘bold’ Chinese investors as rival pitches rare earths to Trump",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/brazils-lula-hails-bold-chinese-investors-as-rival-pitches-rare-11530725",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T21:04:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369636/brazils-lula-hails-bold-chinese-investors-rival-pitches-rare-earths-trump"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva highlighted China as a potential partner for the country's critical minerals plans during an interview on Thursday evening, just three days before the country's election. Lula expressed a desire to transform raw ores into finished minerals within Brazil, indicating that China could contribute by offering technology. He also mentioned the United States as another possible partner, emphasizing that Trump should \"take care of the United States\" while Lula takes care of Brazil. Both the United States and China are seeking alternative sources of rare earths outside of China's control, as both countries hold significant reserves. Lula's main rival, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, has been courting the Trump administration and has emphasized Brazil as a \"real alternative to China for the free world\" in terms of rare earths. Bolsonaro met with Trump at the White House in May and promised a \"long-term strategic partnership\" on rare earths with \"shared re-industrialisation\". Lula opted to give a podcast interview instead of participating in TV Globo's final televised debate, which was cancelled at the last minute. A recent poll indicated that Lula received 45% of valid votes, while Bolsonaro garnered 40%, suggesting a run-off election in October. Both Chinese and American companies are already engaged in mining operations in Brazil's Goias state, where Chinese miner CMOC acquired Anglo American's niobium operations in 2016. In April, American company USA Rare Earth agreed to purchase Serra Verde, a rare earths mine in Goias, for approximately $2.8 billion. Lula signed a law in September that established a council under the presidency's authority to oversee the sector, which will review foreign investments in strategic projects and provide tax incentives for processing until 2034.",
  "summary": "Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva named China as a possible partner in his critical minerals plans, three days before Sunday’s closely fought election. Lula told Flow, one of the country’s most-watched podcasts, on Thursday evening that Brazil should stop shipping out raw ore. “We want to transform them here in Brazil,” he said of the minerals. Asked whether China fit into his plans,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "Brazil’s Lula gears up for ‘last dance’ with run for fourth presidential term",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/brazils-lula-gears-up-for-last-dance-with-run-for-fourth-presidential",
        "published": "2026-10-02T16:20:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "How the Banco Master scandal injected chaos into Brazil’s presidential race",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/how-the-banco-master-scandal-injected-chaos-into-brazils-presidential",
        "published": "2026-10-02T16:36:38.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Brazil’s Lula hails ‘bold’ Chinese investors as rival pitches rare earths to Trump",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/brazils-lula-hails-bold-chinese-investors-as-rival-pitches-rare",
        "published": "2026-10-02T21:04:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian",
        "title": "Brazil’s Lula says only he can stop rise of fascism under Bolsonaro’s son",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/brazils-lula-says-only-he-can-stop-rise-of-fascism-under-bolsonaros",
        "published": "2026-10-02T21:12:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}