The Government of Brazil is focused on expanding trade relations with China, seeking to boost sales of Brazilian products, reports Agência Brasil.

A delegation of Brazilian companies in the food and beverage business will visit China this week, led by the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) and the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply.

The group will participate in business meetings in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, and display products at SIAL China 2015, a trade fair taking place in Shanghai and that is dedicated to food and beverages, catering, and hotels and restaurants.

Sales of Brazilian products to China fell 35.4 percent year-on-year to US$6.1 billion in the first quarter of 2015, data from Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade show.

“[China] is a partner with whom we continue promoting exchanges and keep a very close relationship,” Rafael Prado, Executive Manager at Apex, told the Brazilian news agency.

China remained Brazil’s largest trade partner in 2014, despite a 6-percent drop in bilateral trade, according to official data.

China’s Premier Li Keqiang is to visit Brazil starting from May 19 to discuss a wide range of co-operation topics with the Government of the South American country, Brazilian media reported.