Brazil to Open Tax Office in China Amid Tensions With U.S.

30 Jul 2025

Photo: AI generated

(Poder360) ― The Brazilian government plans to establish a tax and customs attache office in China, a move that will be put into effect by a decree from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The creation of the office coincides with 50% tariffs imposed on Brazil by U.S. President Donald Trump and growing diplomatic friction with Washington.

In a statement, the Finance Ministry said the decision “has no political motivation whatsoever,” and that the initiative is solely aimed at strengthening the current management of the Federal Revenue Service. According to the ministry, the creation of the office has been under discussion since 2023 and has been formally being processed within the agency since January this year.

“Given that China has been Brazil’s top trading partner since 2009, the presence of a specialized attache will facilitate a mutual understanding of legislation, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and boost bilateral trade,” the Finance Ministry stated.

The strategy of creating a tax office is another step toward deepening Brazil’s commercial relationship with China. Since Trump’s inauguration in January, Lula da Silva’s administration has been seeking alternatives to the U.S., Brazil’s second-largest trading partner.

The function of the office is to facilitate customs clearance with China, including on issues like shipping delays and labeling rules, and to serve as a point of contact with the country’s authorities. The office could also help increase Brazilian exports to the Asian nation, as products subject to more regulation and tax oversight might gain faster entry into Beijing.

“The physical presence of attaches abroad enables fiscal intelligence operations and the confrontation of transnational crimes, while at the same time strengthening the institutional relationship with foreign authorities,” the agency said.

This article, originally published in Portuguese by Poder360 on July 21, was translated and republished by Caixin Global under a mutual content-sharing arrangement.

Contact editor Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com)

caixinglobal.com is the English-language online news portal of Chinese financial and business news media group Caixin. Global Neighbours is authorized to reprint this article.

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