China overtook the United States of America and became the main supplier of Brazil, according to accumulated figures from January to August released by the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services.

Companies in China sold products worth US$17.25 billion to Brazil in the first eight months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 13% compared to US$16.761 billion reported by US companies.

The United States still ranked first in the January-July figures, with sales of US$14.593 billion, against US$14.505 billion in Chinese sales.

Brazilian imports of Chinese products accounted for 17.5% of the total in the first eight months of the year, amounting to US$97.863 billion.

With regard to Brazilian exports, China has been in first place for several years, from January to August buying goods from Brazilian companies worth US$34.781 billion (+34%), compared with US$17.685 billion dollars from the United States.

Brazil’s total foreign trade stood at US$243.778 billion from January to August, with exports of US$145.942 billion and imports of US$97.836 million, generating a trade surplus of US$48.106 billion.