China and Brazil struck nine agreements on political and economic matters, including trade and farming, while their heads of government were in Brazil for a summit meeting of the bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), the Central News Agency (CNA) reported.

The Taiwan news agency says the agreements include a plan of action to be taken between 2019 and 2023 in innovating and investing in farming, and in trading in farm output.

Other agreements were on selling Chinese pears in Brazil and selling Brazilian melons in China; on sharing ideas about transport; and on cooperation in health care, including traditional medicine, CNA says.

In a separate report, the Chinese government-run news agency, Xinhua, quotes Chinese President Xi Jinping as telling Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro that their countries should trade more and act to ensure supplies of farm products, iron ore and crude oil; that they should cooperate more in applying technology; and that  his government will support Chinese corporate investment in Brazilian infrastructure.

The Brazilian government is willing to give Chinese enterprises incentives to invest in Brazil and trade with it, Xinhua quotes Mr Bolsonaro as saying.