On August 31, 2006, visiting Chairman Wu Bangguo of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress delivered an important speech entitled Strengthening Friendly Cooperation for Common Development at the parliamentary building of Brazil.

At 10:00 a.m. Wu, accompanied by President of Brazil's Chamber of Deputies Aldo Rebelo, stepped into the conference hall of the Brazilian parliament. The members of the two houses of the parliament and people from all circles of society stood up and applauded warmly welcoming Chairman Wu.

Wu first made positive comments on China-Brazil relations and then elaborated the great undertaking of the Chinese people of speeding up the modernization construction, realizing the national reunification, maintaining world peace and promoting common development under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. He systematically explained the basic principle of the Chinese government of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems" to solve the Taiwan question and comprehensively introduced the relentless efforts made and positive progress achieved by the Chinese government to develop the relations across the Taiwan Straits and push for peaceful reunification from three perspectives including facilitating the consultations and negotiations on an equal footing, enhancing the economic exchanges and cooperation and encouraging the people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits.

Wu pointed out that currently the positive factors for curbing the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and their activities are on the rise and the cross-Straits relations show a strong momentum of moving towards peace and stability. However, the root cause for the tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits still remains. The activities of the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces have become the most serious obstacle to the development of cross-Straits relations and China's peaceful reunification and constituted the biggest threat to cross-Straits peace and stability. It is the common obligation of all the Chinese people including the Taiwan compatriots to oppose and curb the activities of "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and maintain the national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We firmly believe that with the joint efforts of all the Chinese people including the Taiwan compatriots China's complete reunification will surely come true.

Wu said that we appreciate the valuable support of related Latin American countries including Brazil for the Chinese people over the years on realizing China's reunification and hope related countries continue supporting the efforts of the Chinese people to oppose and curb the activities of "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and realize the great cause of national reunification.

Wu proposed five points on developing China-Latin America relations. First, deepening political mutual trust and laying down a solid political foundation for China-Latin America cooperation; second, promoting the mutually beneficial cooperation and consolidating the economic foundation for China-Latin America friendship; third, enriching the cultural and educational exchanges and building the social foundation for China-Latin America friendship; fourth, strengthening parliamentary exchanges and injecting new dynamism into China-Latin America relations; fifth, enhancing the bilateral consultations and collaboration in international affairs and jointly protecting the interest of developing nations. He noted that China will work with the Latin American countries to implement the consensus reached between President Hu Jintao and the leaders of Latin American countries when President Hu visited Latin America in November 2004 and raise the China-Latin America relations to a new level.

More than 300 audiences including the members of the two houses of the Brazilian parliament and people from all circles of society listened to Chairman Wu, and the Brazilian TV station made a live broadcasting of the speech.

Rebelo said that it is a great pleasure to invite on behalf of the Chamber of Deputies Chairman Wu to make speech in the Brazilian parliamentary building. He expressed sincere admiration for the achievements of China's modernization construction and spoke highly of the outstanding contribution of China to world peace and development. He noted that China is not only an ancient civilization with a long history but more importantly a good example of peace, development and democracy in today's world.

After the speech, Wu especially visited the staffs of the Chinese embassy in Brazil as well as the representatives of local Chinese-funded organizations, overseas Chinese and Chinese students studying in Brazil.

Madame Zhang Ruizhen, wife of Wu Bangguo, and other Chinese officials were also present at the above activities.