Wen Jinyu, Vice President of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), led a delegation to Brazil from April 20 to 25, aiming to expand HUST's network of South American collaborators, deepen Sino-Brazilian cultural exchanges, and promote high-level university-industry cooperation.

At the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Wen Jinyu attended the opening ceremony of "The Flavor Crossing Mountains and Seas: The Tea Route and the Coffee Journey" exhibition. Hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Brazil, HUST, and UFMG, the exhibition is the only national flagship project supported by the embassy in celebration of the 2026 China-Brazil Year of Culture. The event was attended by Zhu Qingqiao, Chinese Ambassador to Brazil; Alessandro Fernandes Moreira, President of UFMG; as well as representatives from the Minas Gerais State Government, Brazil’s Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), CPFL Energia (CPFL), and other government and corporate entities.

Wen Jinyu stated that the exhibition seeks to connect Chinese and Brazilians through food and culture in his speech at the opening ceremony. He emphasized that HUST will continue to contribute to the broader framework of China-Brazil strategic cooperation, building a more close-knit China-Brazil community with a shared future.

Moreira reflected on the history of collaboration between the two universities, saying that language and culture are the cornerstones of the partnership. He expressed hope that the exhibition will serve as a new starting point for enhanced strategic coordination between the two universities under the BRICS and Global South framework, strengthening cultural exchange and academic cooperation.

Zhu Qingqiao said that the opening of this exhibition coincides with both the China-Brazil Year of Culture and International Chinese Language Day. He hoped that Chinese and Brazilian universities would harness the potential of Confucius Institutes, academic collaboration, faculty and student exchanges, and digital technology to boost youth talent development and build a China-Brazil community with a shared future.

Following the opening ceremony, Wen Jinyu held an inter-university meeting with Moreira, President of UFMG; Alamanda Kfoury Pereira, Vice President of UFMG; and Aziz Saliba, Dean for UFMG's International Affairs. Wen Jinyu emphasized the remarkable achievements made by the Confucius Institute established by the two universities and highlighted the deepening collaborations in disciplines, such as architecture, economics, and law. He said that both sides would continue to strengthen the development of the Confucius Institute, expand academic partnerships into fields such as engineering, and contribute to high-level education and technological innovation cooperation between China and Brazil. The two sides conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as developing a Chinese-Portuguese bilingual training program, expanding cooperation in electrical engineering and medicine, establishing a high-end Sino-Brazilian academic forum, and advancing engineering education collaboration. Both universities signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on educational and cultural cooperation and held a disciplinary collaboration seminar.

At the Confucius Institute established by HUST and UFMG, Wen Jinyu met with Tian Min, Chinese Consul General in Rio de Janeiro. They visited the institute's faculty and students and participated in a group discussion. Cui Guangying, the Chinese Dean of the Confucius Institute, provided an update on the institute's development, the preparations for the exhibition, and the organization of the first joint meeting of Brazil's 15 Confucius Institutes. Wen Jinyu and Tian Min encouraged the institute to continue serving as a cultural bridge, promoting the dissemination of traditional Chinese culture locally, and contributing to deeper cultural and educational exchange and cooperation between China and Brazil.

At the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), Wen Jinyu met with the President Paulo Cesar Montagner, and Huang Futao, Vice President of CPFL. Wen Jinyu highlighted the steady deepening of academic collaboration between the two universities in recent years and expressed his hopes for partnership between the universities and the companies. He proposed utilizing their strengths in disciplines such as electrical engineering and energy, as well as their expertise in talent cultivation, to explore cooperative approaches tailored to industrial and corporate needs, including the training of high-level talent, the establishment of collaborative centers, and integrated innovation across academia, industry, and research.

Montagner praised HUST as one of China's top universities and said he looked forward to working alongside HUST and leading corporations to strengthen high-level collaborations. He expressed his commitment to using innovative technologies as a driving force to establish a pioneering model for Sino-Brazilian collaborative innovation. Huang Futao said CPFL is willing to offer platforms for talent development and technological innovation, strengthen the trilateral bond, and maximize shared strengths to achieve win-win development.

During the meeting, HUST signed an institutional-level MoU with Unicamp. The two universities, along with CPFL, signed a tripartite MoU to establish the China-Brazil center for power innovation and technology.

The delegation also visited CPFL's control center and power generation center. They exchanged views with the company's President, Sun Peng, on further strengthening China-Brazil university-industry collaboration and cultivating engineers.

This visit represents a concrete step forward in implementing the consensus reached by the Chinese and Brazilian presidents on the 2026 China-Brazil Year of Culture. It aims to promote cultural and educational exchanges as well as cooperation between China and Brazil, and advance joint training of engineers and university-industry collaborations.

Representatives from the National Graduate College for Engineers, the School of International Education, the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, and the Office of International Affairs of HUST participated in the event.