China hopes that Brazil will join the Belt and Road Initiative as soon as possible, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on July 25.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had said that his administration was preparing a proposal to join the Chinese infrastructure and investment initiative.

"China welcomes Brazil to join the Belt and Road family as soon as possible and looks forward to Brazil's great achievements in Belt and Road cooperation," the spokeswoman said during a press conference.

The Belt and Road Initiative is a global infrastructure development project conceived by China in 2013. It currently includes more than 150 nations, with a dozen more considering joining the initiative.

(Source: Brasil247, on July 25)