Brazil Looks East: Lula's Trips Abroad

Last week was a busy one for Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In one week, the Brazilian leader visited China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, on a tour intended to strengthen Brazil's diplomatic and economic ties with those three nations.

The three days Lula spent in China, from May 19-21, received more attention than the other legs of the trip, in large part due to the close economic ties between the two nations. Spurred by a mutual demand for each others' exports -- with China seeking Brazilian raw materials, and Brazil seeking Chinese manufacturing -- China is now the largest trading partner for South America's largest economy. That stands in contrast to much of the rest of Latin America, where the United States dominates trade. ...