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**China and Brazil have signed several trade agreements on the sidelines of a shortened Bric summit in Brasilia.**The deals are aimed at boosting trade and energy co-operation between the two states and include a pact to build a Chinese steel plant in Brazil.
The four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China make up Bric.
The summit was brought forward by a day after China’s President Hu decided to return home early to deal with the aftermath of a major earthquake.
This is the second summit of the Bric leaders, following their meeting in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg last year.
The countries, which account for 40% of the world’s population, are expected to use the summit to push for greater influence in global financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the of the steel agreement: “It will be the biggest Chinese investment in Brazil and the biggest by China abroad in this sector.”
He added that China had also expressed an interest in bidding to construct a high-speed train line between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.