Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Recent The perception of China among the young generation in Brazil has changed greatly in recent years thanks to the dissemination of related news content, growing business partnerships, and increasing people-to-people exchanges, a Brazilian scholar has said. Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, head of the Center for Brazil-China Studies at Getulio Vargas Foundation School of Law, gave his assessment on the current state of ties between the two countries, which comes as this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil. The relationship is also in the spotlight this week as Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to pay a state visit to Brazil from Nov 17 to 21 at the invitation of his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Xi will also travel to Rio de Janeiro to attend the 19th G20 Summit. Carvalho told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) that China and Brazil have seen closer personnel exchanges between official delegations, students and investors from both sides, helping to significantly boost ties and deepen understandings. Carvalho, who is also a recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, also provided an example of the change he has witnessed in the "evolution" of young Brazilian people's knowledge of China through his own teaching experiences. He went on to explain how the students had immediately offered up the names of leading Chinese brands such as Chinese e-commerce company Shein, automaker BYD, and the social media platform WeChat, saying these companies are all known in Brazil. Since 2009, China has become Brazil's largest trading partner and a major source of investment, while Brazil has become China's largest trading partner in Latin America. Chinese customs data have shown that the trade volume between China and Brazil reached 181.5 billion dollars in 2023, with Brazil becoming the first Latin American country to surpass 100 billion dollars in exports to China. Shotlist: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Recent; FILE: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Aug 17, 2024 1. Various of dragon, lion dance marking 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Brazil diplomatic ties in progress, drum beater, cymbalist; 2. Spectators interacting with lion dance performer; 3. Visitor posing for photos with performer; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Recent 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, head of Center for Brazil-China Studies, Getulio Vargas Foundation School of Law: "The Brazilian new generation is more open to understand the world in its totality, not only the Western world. And this is good news. First, because there is more news about China, published by Brazilian media and online [social] media. Second, there are more people-to-people exchanges. A lot of Chinese delegations come to Brazil and Brazilians go to China. Several Brazilian students are now attending Chinese courses in Chinese universities. A lot of business people are going to China to establish contacts with Chinese companies. They are interested in developing partnerships. Also, there are a lot of Chinese investments in Brazil, we have here in Brazil around 500 Chinese companies. The presence of China in Brazil is completely different if we compare to 10, 15 or 20 years ago. So this is the reason why the new generation is aware of the importance of China to Brazil, and this is a fact."; FILE: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Aug 17, 2024 5. Various of martial arts performance in progress, audience; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Recent 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, head of Center for Brazil-China Studies, Getulio Vargas Foundation School of Law: "I would like to mention a good example of this evolution. In 2016, when I came back to Brazil after three years in China, I offered a course on China to my students. I proposed to them to [conduct] research by interviewing other students at the same institution about China, just to check their knowledge of China compared with the knowledge they have of the U.S. and Japan, etc. The result was a disaster. Five years later, before going back to China again to attend that period of research at Peking University, I had a course on China with my students, and then I asked them, 'What does the word China bring to your mind?' Their answers were completely different. They said, 'Shein.' Shein is a Chinese e-commerce company, because the name of this company is known here in Brazil. [Chinese automaker] 'BYD' -- these kinds of answers, which are completely different. [They also mention social media platform] 'WeChat.' The new generation is building a different perception of China, more connected to modern China, connected to Chinese modernization, and they have these references. So, this is a big change, and I can see clearly this change."; FILE: Brasilia, Brazil - June 16, 2023 7. Celebration event for China's Dragon Boat Festival in progress; 8. Various of participants at event, posing for photos. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]