BRAZILIAN President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva left for China on Tuesday to give support to the Chinese peace plan to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and to strengthen ties with his nation’s biggest trade partner.

Lula’s visit to China was initially scheduled for March but was postponed after he fell sick.

Before leaving for China, Lula told the Voz do Brasil radio programme: “We will consolidate our relationship with China.”

He said: “I will invite [Chinese President] Xi Jinping to Brazil for a bilateral meeting to show him projects for which we want to attract Chinese investment.”  

The Brazilian president will also use the trip to support China’s efforts to help bring an end to the fighting in Ukraine and to find a lasting solution to the crisis. 

China’s proposals have already been dismissed by the United States and its Nato allies, who have not put forward proposals of their own for bringing an end to the war.

The US tried to persuade Lula earlier this year to send weapons to support the Ukrainian war effort. But Lula refused, saying he was more concerned to find a plan for peace.

During a meeting with reporters in Brasilia last week, Lula suggested that Ukraine might cede Crimea, annexed by Russia back in 2014 and with a majority identifying as Russian, as a means to forge peace. The idea was dismissed by Ukraine and the US.

China and Brazil are members of the Brics group of developing countries and have challenged US domination of global political and financial affairs.

The two countries have said that future trade between them will be conducted in their own currencies rather than the dollar. 

Earlier this month, Lula’s foreign affairs adviser Celso Amorim met with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said that Mr Amorim “went to listen and to say the time has come to talk.” 

Brazil and China will also use the visit to strengthen trade ties and are expected to sign at least 20 bilateral agreements during the two-day stay. 

Lula plans to visit Shanghai and Beijing, and meet with his counterpart tomorrow.

The two leaders are expected to discuss trade, investment, reindustrialisation, energy transition, climate change and peace agreements, the Brazilian government said.

China is Brazil’s biggest export market, while Brazil is reportedly the largest recipient of Chinese investment in Latin America.