China-Brazil Ties in Emerging Technologies: Innovation, Opportunity, and the Challenge of Digital Sovereignty

executive summary: This essay examines the deepening technological relationship between China and Brazil, focusing on key emerging sectors such 5G, cloud services, blockchain, and renewable energy. main argumentBrazil possesses both the largest economy and population in South America, and, with an openness to innovation, it represents an appealing testing ground and growth market for new technologies. Brazil’s digital transformation is increasingly underpinned by Chinese technologies. Owing to China’s extensive strategic financial, infrastructure, and digital investments in the country, alongside a variety of collaborative initiatives, Brazil’s technological development reflects China’s emerging strategic influence in Latin America. While these partnerships have enabled rapid modernization in Brazil, they risk undermining long-term digital sovereignty and creating new forms of dependency in critical infrastructure sectors. policy implications • Brazil should prioritize strengthening its domestic research and development capabilities, particularly in strategic sectors such as information and communications technology, blockchain, and renewable energy. This will foster innovation, reduce reliance on foreign technologies, and help protect national security interests by safeguarding critical data and infrastructure. • To mitigate overdependence on China, Brazil must diversify its technological partnerships globally by expanding cooperation with other countries. • Brazil must implement clear and robust regulatory frameworks to manage foreign investment in its technology sector in order to ensure alignment with national security priorities, long-term development goals, and a balance of foreign involvement.