Chinese in Brazil concerned about worsening epidemic, pin hopes on vaccine cooperation

Brazil is second only to the US in terms of COVID-19 infections, but the government has focused on keeping its economy going instead of preventing the virus' spread. This approach and the apparent casual attitude of the Brazilian government have triggered social concerns, especially among local Chinese who have a high awareness of the dangers of the disease. Despite their anxiety, Chinese communities in Brazil has been actively participating in virus mitigation and have great expectations for China, Brazil cooperation on vaccine development.

A total of 955,377 confirmed cases have been reported in Brazil as of press time, with 46,510 deaths.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's negative attitude toward anti-epidemic measures, inadequate mobilization capacity of government and a collapse of its medical system are causing Brazilians to worry about their safety. Media reports show Brazilians protesting their president's failure to fight the virus in the capital Brasilia and Sao Paulo.

More than 300,000 Chinese people live in Brazil and many own a small business. During the epidemic, many of them have donated money and medical resource to help local epidemic mitigation. Yet Brazil's poor virus prevention work has made Chinese communities anxious. 

Meanwhile, China and Brazil are planning to cooperate on developing a COVID-19 vaccine that would allow Brazil to produce on a large scale and immunize millions of Brazilians, according to media reports. 

The Chinese embassy in Brazil and Chinese companies have also shared anti-epidemic experiences and donated medical resources to Brazil. 

In early June, Bolsonaro threatened to quit the World Health Organization and stop reporting local COVID-19 data. A Brazilian Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro's administration to resume publishing complete COVID-19 statistics after moves to suppress the information prompted accusations of authoritarian efforts to cover up the crisis, the Guardian reported.

Many Chinese in Brazil remain worried the local epidemic will worsen even as they fight the pandemic with their Brazilian friends as both hope cooperation between the two countries will produce a vaccine.

Standing together

"I'm anxious as I have no income because of the closure of businesses due to the epidemic. However, easing quarantine measures makes me worried about the worsening of the epidemic," Chen Shikai, a 33-year-old Chinese man who has been living in Brazil for seven years, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Chen, from East China's Zhejiang Province, runs a small commodity wholesale store selling travel souvenirs, false eyelashes and acrylic nail tips in Rio de Janeiro. His anxiety is representative of the mood of many Chinese in Brazil.

He has been losing 10,000 ($1,912) to 20,000 BRL a month since his store was closed three months ago. He still has to pay 15,000 BRL in monthly rent.

The living conditions of his 20 Brazilian and two Chinese employees are also a heavy burden on Chen.

"The Brazilian government has provided salary subsidies for employees for April and May, but the pressure will remain on the employers' shoulders because businesses won't recover soon," Chen said.

Chen has no plans to fire any employees and plans to get through the difficulties with Brazilians. 

Many Brazilians are less accustomed to saving money than many Chinese people, so it will be difficult for local employees to buy food if they lose their jobs. "What if they have no other way to live but to steal and rob? It could greatly affect public order," Chen said.

He appreciates the care and assistance he received from locals during his years of doing business in Brazil. "I have been living here for seven years and have become friends with Brazilians," he said.

Many retailers who sell fridge magnets and key chains on Monte Cristo replenished their stocks with Chen. The pandemic has hit global tourism hardest. Chen is also worried about his clients.

The souvenir sellers are mostly from low income backgrounds. Chen worries that government subsidies are only enough to buy food. How a seller will be able to purchase souvenirs to restart their small businesses after Brazil fully reopens the economy, he asked.

The Brazilian president appealed for reopening the economy regardless of the severity of the local epidemic but many Brazilians criticized their president as being a copycat of Donald Trump, Chen said. 

He is also waiting for an upcoming government order and is preparing to reopen his store. Online orders and logistics delivery will be his preference to reduce contact with clients. Employees will be equipped with masks, face guards and protective outfits. Chen has bought around 10,000 masks for his employees.

Brazilians love beauty and there should be a lot of people who want to get eyelash extensions and manicures after quarantine. Chen believes his nail tips and false eyelash business should be able to recover.

However, in the short term no one will travel, so the souvenir business will be a money loser, he said.

Helping out

Along with Chinese in Brazil, the Chinese government and Chinese companies have also made efforts to help Brazil fighting the pandemic, sharing anti-epidemic experience and donating medical resources including protective outfits and ventilators.


The Chinese Embassy in Brazil held an online seminar on Tuesday on how to promote international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19, as well exchange of treatment experience and the use of traditional Chinese medicine in the fight against the epidemic, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Brazilian scholar Ronnie Linse, director of The Center for China & Brazil, said China has provided great assistance to Brazil and supported its fight against the epidemic, which demonstrates the sincere friendship between the two people, China News reported.

The Brazil-China Cultural Communication Association has also been working with local NGOs and has donated basic food baskets that include rice, beans, sugar and cooking oil to local poor.

Each basket costs 52 BRL and Chen has donated 50 baskets. "Despite the stress of losing sleep myself, I wanted to help Brazilians in need amid the epidemic," said Chen, who is a member of the association.

Cheng Pu, chairman of the Brazil-China Cultural Communication Association, told the Global Times that Chinese members of the association have donated a million masks and other protective products to local governments, medical institutions and police, and provided about 8,000 basic food baskets to Brazilians living in poverty.

People are also worried that the local health system cannot handle more patients.

The health care system in Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo, is close to collapse, with 87 percent of intensive care beds in the capital and 97.5 percent in the suburbs already occupied, according to Mayor Bruno Covas, CCTV reported.

Brazil will join China's efforts to strengthen global cooperation in COVID-19 vaccine trials, as the Butantan Institute in Brazil plans to cooperate in Phase III clinical trials for an COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by a Chinese company.

Cheng Pu said he was excited to learn that China and Brazil will cooperate in vaccine development. "It is conducive to the health of all human beings."