The Brazilian president said his upcoming visit to China will help maintain a more solid and lasting strategic partnership with the world's most populous country in areas like politics, economy, trade, technology and culture.

It is the most important trip for him to visit China this year, which marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva said in an interview with Chinese reporters prior to his visit to China.

Lula, who took office on Jan. 1 last year, said that since 1974the two countries have maintained sound diplomatic and political ties, built a strategic partnership, and carried out fruitful cooperation in various fields.

In the space sector, the two countries have launched two joint-venture earth resources satellites, and another two are currently being developed.

The president said he sees great potential in economic cooperation and trade between the two countries, which have multiplied in recent years.

China has become the third biggest market for Brazilian exports last year, with bilateral trade worth 8 billion US dollars.

Lula said both the governments and entrepreneurs of the two countries hope to further expand cooperation and increase mutual investment.

Late last month, Lula met in Brasilia with a delegation of morethan 40 Chinese business leaders from various fields as part of a series of bilateral exchanges before his China tour in late May. An agreement was signed between the two sides to create the Brazil-China Business Council, which would embrace 46 companies of the two countries.

Brazil's petroleum giant Petrobras, the country's biggest state-own enterprise, plans to set up an office in Beijing, and the airline company Avibras will soon open a direct flight to China. All these will play an important role in strengthening Brazil-China economic cooperation and trade, Lula said.

Lula welcomed Chinese enterprises who have interest in investment in areas like railway, port building, mining, and oil in Brazil. He said the Brazilian Senate is expected to pass a bill aimed at attracting domestic private enterprises and foreign capital to engage in the country's infrastructure building.

More reasonable investment rules and better policies on infrastructure investment are currently being formulated by the Brazilian government, Lula added.

On political cooperation, Lula said Brazil and China, the two biggest developing countries in Latin America and Asia, maintain same or similar stance in international affairs and have cooperated in international organizations, like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, to jointly safeguard the interests of developing countries.

He pointed out that Brazil and China could have more influence on the world's politics, economy and trade by strengthening cooperation, in light of the two countries' territorial area, economic strength, and development potentials.

"I believe this trip would push the Brazil-China strategic partnership to an unprecedented new high and bring about short, medium and long-term positive impacts on the development of friendly relations and cooperation," the president said, adding this visit is the Brazilian government's most important political, economic and trade trip.

Lula said 421 businessmen have signed up to join his China tour, which will be the largest-ever business delegation to accompany the Brazilian president in the state visit. Lula said this shows the great interest the Brazilian business community have in China.

In addition, several government ministers, state governors, and representatives from big banks will also accompany Lula to China.