Credit: The Global South Institute

The Global South Institute (ISG) hosted a delegation from the Shanghai Academy in São Paulo on October 12 to strengthen institutional ties and explore a formal agreement on academic and intellectual cooperation. The Chinese institution was jointly established by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Shanghai Municipal Government.

According to Brasil 247, the meeting brought together senior representatives from both organizations to discuss closer cooperation in research, intellectual exchanges and international dialogue. The discussions focused on the role of academic institutions in promoting peace, sustainable development and a multipolar international order.

The Chinese delegation was headed by Wang Xiaoxia, executive vice president of the Shanghai Academy. During the meeting and a subsequent luncheon, Wang and Leonardo Attuch, president of the Global South Institute and a Brazilian journalist, emphasized the importance of stronger intellectual connections between Brazil and China.

Both leaders highlighted the potential contribution of academic cooperation to international understanding, shared development and the peaceful resolution of differences.

The Brazilian delegation also included José Reinaldo Carvalho, the institute's academic coordinator; Tang Wei, coordinator of partnerships with China; and Shobhan Saxena, coordinator of partnerships with India.

The Shanghai Academy delegation included Nian Meng, director of its Research Division and a researcher at CASS; Tan Ting, deputy director of its Secretariat Division and associate professor at Shanghai University; Sun Ruru, a member of the academy's Research Division and an assistant professor affiliated with the Institute of Philosophy at CASS; and Zhang Xiaoxu, a researcher at the Institute of Latin American Studies of CASS (ILAS-CASS).

Academic cooperation and a multipolar world

The discussions reflected shared perspectives on the importance of dialogue among research centers, universities and institutions working in economic, social and cultural development.

Attuch and Wang underscored the role of intellectual cooperation in bringing societies closer together and supporting a more balanced international order.

Their exchanges addressed respect for different national development experiences, the pursuit of shared prosperity and the importance of resolving international disagreements through peaceful means.

The growing relationship between the Global South Institute and the Shanghai Academy is consistent with ISG's mission to facilitate exchanges of ideas, research and institutional experience among countries of the Global South.

The initiative also seeks to broaden cooperation between Brazil, China and other countries interested in strengthening international partnerships and sharing development experiences.

A central issue discussed during the meeting was the possibility of formalizing a cooperation agreement between the two institutions.

The agreement could be signed during a future visit by Attuch to Shanghai. The date of the proposed visit has not yet been confirmed.

Shanghai Academy's role in research and public policy

Established on June 5, 2015, the Shanghai Academy was created through a partnership between the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Shanghai Municipal Government.

The institution was designed to combine academic research with practical experience in public administration, bringing scholarly expertise closer to policymaking and socioeconomic development.

Its research activities focus on major challenges facing China and the international community, including Chinese modernization, economic integration in the Yangtze River Delta, urban social governance and the development of an open economy.

The academy also conducts strategic studies, develops public policy recommendations, trains researchers and promotes international academic exchanges.

Through these activities, it seeks to connect academic knowledge with practical social needs and the challenges facing government institutions and policymakers.

Its international engagement provides opportunities for cooperation with research organizations examining development strategies, global governance and economic transformation.

Expanding the Global South Institute's international partnerships

The Shanghai Academy delegation's visit marks another step in the Global South Institute's efforts to develop an international network of academic and intellectual partnerships.

The Brazilian institution has been building relationships with think tanks, universities and research organizations across different regions, particularly Asia, Africa and Latin America.

These partnerships are intended to encourage exchanges among scholars and researchers working on contemporary international challenges, including changes in global governance, the emergence of a multipolar order and the search for development models that promote economic prosperity and social inclusion.

The proposed agreement with the Shanghai Academy would provide an additional institutional framework for cooperation between Brazilian and Chinese researchers.

It would also support the Global South Institute's objective of facilitating dialogue among different intellectual traditions and national development experiences.

The two institutions are expected to continue discussions on the proposed partnership, with its possible formalization linked to Attuch's next visit to Shanghai.

(Reported by Brasil 247 on October 12, 2026)