Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

Hegemonism, which poses a grave threat to world peace and development, has increasingly become a distinctive feature of the new US government's foreign policy - particularly in its tariff policy. How the Global South should respond is a pressing and unresolved issue. On Thursday, the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers' Meeting convened in Brazil, where officials from China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs engaged in discussions with their Brazilian counterparts about how Brazil can export more agricultural products - such as soybeans and beef - to China. Undoubtedly, this visit sent a clear signal: China and Brazil will further deepen their cooperation.

Strengthening cooperation between China and Brazil in economic, trade and other areas is not only an urgent necessity but also an obvious possibility.

First, both countries oppose hegemonism. Facts show that China and Brazil have both been victims of hegemonic practices. A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently stated that the US uses tariffs as a weapon to exert maximum pressure for its own selfish gains, which severely hurts the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, violates the WTO rules, sabotages the rules-based multilateral trading regime and destabilizes the global economic order. The US, in defiance of global criticism, is positioning itself against the rest of the world. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has also pointed out that the US "arbitrary tariffs destabilize the international economy," and "history teaches us that trade wars have no winners."

Second, China and Brazil both hold prominent positions on the international stage. China's global standing is well recognized, and Brazil's international influence should not be underestimated. Although Brazil is not a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, it has consistently played a pivotal role in UN affairs and has taken a proactive stance in global efforts to tackle poverty, climate change and environmental challenges.

Third, both countries possess the economic strength and complementarity needed to advance economic and trade cooperation. As a populous nation, China needs to import large quantities of agricultural and mineral products, whereas Brazil is richly endowed with these resources - many of which hold significant positions in the global market. This creates a clear and strong economic complementarity between the two countries.

Fourth, the political relationship between China and Brazil has laid a solid foundation for economic and trade cooperation. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1974, bilateral relations have been upgraded three times. The first upgrade came in 1993, when the two countries established a strategic partnership. The second took place in 2012, when the relationship was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, making Brazil the first Latin American country to reach that status with China. In 2024, the relationship was further elevated to the China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet.

Fifth, the two countries have already accumulated valuable experience in pursuing win-win cooperation. As major developing countries located in the eastern and western hemispheres, China and Brazil are separated by vast oceans, yet they are drawn to each other, enabling comprehensive cooperation across various fields. According to information published on the website of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides have signed as many as 167 important bilateral agreements and documents.

To further strengthen cooperation in the fight against hegemonism - and to accelerate the realization of the China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet - the two countries can focus their efforts in the two areas of maximizing trade facilitation and strengthening mutual understanding and friendship.

As long as China and Brazil remain united in sincerity and work in close coordination, they will undoubtedly be able - together with other Global South countries - to overcome hegemonism and jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing nations.

The author is a distinguished professor at Shanghai University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn