China, Brazil sign MoU to conduct feasibility study for transcontinental railway project: Brazilian ministry
China and Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding to study a transcontinental railroad connecting Peru's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic coast, as part of a strategic export route, Brazil's Ministry of Transport said on Tuesday. Chinese expert hailed this move as a key factor in pushing forward the railway project advancing infrastructure links between China and South America.
The Brazilian ministry, and China Railway Economic and Planning Research Institute of China State Railway Group will be responsible for coordinating the project, conduct feasibility and environmental studies, the ministry announced on X on Tuesday.
The feasibility study will cover technical, economic, logistical, and environmental factors to ensure the long-term sustainability of the route, the ministry said.
The railway project will cross Brazilian states such as Bahia, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Rondônia, Acre, before reaching Chancay, in Peru, connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Once completed, the project could shorten export times from Brazil to Asia by up to 10 days. The project also brings greater security to attract investment in Brazil's highways and railways; and promotes deeper regional and international integration with countries in Latin America and Asia.
The inauguration of Chancay Port in Peru has reignited Brazil's interest in enhancing connectivity with China, Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that China and Brazil's decision to study the transcontinental railway project is a key step in advancing the cross-continental railroad project.
Wang added that China's capability in infrastructure, equipment manufacturing, and railway-building expertise make it an ideal partner for Brazil and Peru.
Leonardo Ribeiro, Brazil's National Secretary of Railway Transportation, the partnership between China and Brazil on the cross-continental railroad project represents "a strategic step for the transportation sector in Brazil, especially in the railway area," according to Brazilian news outlet G1.
"This is the first step in a technical and diplomatic journey to bring continents closer, reduce distances, and strengthen long-term relations," said Ribeiro. "We believe we are establishing an essential partnership with the best in the world to address our transportation infrastructure bottlenecks."
"Chinese support is crucial to getting highways, railways, ports, and transmission lines off the ground. But the economic viability of these projects depends on our countries' ability to coordinate and give these initiatives a regional scale," Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said during his visit to China in May.
There is a strong possibility that the cross-continental railroad will become a reality in the future, Jorge Viana, CEO of Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, who accompanied Lula during his visit, told the Global Times in May. Viana said the railroad would almost opened an alternative to Panama Canal, as the railway would enable Brazilian goods to be transported directly from Peru to Shanghai Port in China, without taking detours.
In May, Peru's minister of economy and finance emphasized the importance of coordinating and planning a meeting between the governments of Brazil and Peru, along with the Chinese delegation to advance the cross-continental railroad project.