China has pledged to strengthen ties with Brazil to “resist unilateralism and bullying,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a call with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira. Wang described the bilateral relationship as “at its best in history” and emphasized cooperation through BRICS to protect developing countries’ interests, according to Al Jazeera.

The call comes as Brazil, under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, considers retaliatory measures against the United States following President Donald Trump’s 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian goods. China, now Brazil’s largest trading partner, has sought closer ties with Latin America amid rising US-Brazil tensions.