Brazilian Ambassador to the United States Sérgio Amaral has said he is impressed by the growth in Chinese trade with Latin America and its investment in the region, the China Daily reports.

The state-run Chinese newspaper quotes Mr. Amaral as saying the Chinese economic presence in Latin America was impressive enough. “But more impressive than the presence, in trade and investment, is the rate of growth,” he said. The report says Mr. Amaral, formerly chairman of the Brazil-China Business Council, was speaking at an event in Washington marking the publication of a report on Chinese direct investment in Latin America compiled by the Atlantic Council and the OECD Development Centre.

He said the value of trade between China and Latin America had grown at an average annual rate 23 percent in the past decade, expanding faster than trade among Latin American countries. Chinese direct investment had improved Brazilian infrastructure and Chinese investment in agriculture had made people in the Brazilian countryside better off.

Brazil is by far the biggest recipient of Chinese direct investment in Latin America, the China Daily says.