An example of Chinese influence & soft power in Brazil

When the regional branch in the State of Bahia of Brazil’s Associação das Empresas Brasileiras de Tecnologia da Informação (ASSESPRO Bahia) uses the picture of an Asian woman & child to wish locals a happy Mother’s Day, and when you remember that Bahia’s population is close to 80% black or pardo, one starts to wonder if the idea of the whole campaign is not simply to encourage people to associate “Asian” and “technology”.

And since there is little chance that, in Brazil, “Asian” refers to “Taiwan” or “Singapore”…

Meanwhile, China’s BYD is working on the new Veículo Leve de Transporte (VLT) project…

Thanks Fernanda RAMONE for pointing that one out !

Picture credits: ASSESPRO Bahia

Nicolas Michelon

Nicolas is a corporate geoeconomics and strategic & business intelligence expert with 25 years of experience in the Asia-Pacific, and more recently in the Gulf and Türkiye. A Managing Partner at Alagan Partners, he advises corporate executives on how to navigate the current geopolitical and geoeconomic environment, mitigate risk and develop prospective scenarios. He is also an Adjunct Professor & Guest Lecturer in geopolitics, geoeconomics and business intelligence at ESCP Business School (France), Galatasaray University (Türkiye), University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (Morocco), and Ecole de Guerre Economique (Paris School of Economic Warfare).