Speaking ahead of his trip to China scheduled for later this month, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called his impending visit to the Far East "one of the most important business and political trips of his government."

Since assuming office in January 2003, the left-wing Lula has been busy cultivating relationships with the world's major emerging markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Last year he formed -- along with India and South Africa -- a group dubbed the G3 that in theory works toward providing member nations with an economic support base that doesn't include the United States and counters what Lula once termed U.S. "hegemony in international relations."

Since then, the Brazilian president has declared his hopes that Russia and China would join the ranks of the G3, thereby gaining preferential access to their markets and making them converts to Brazilian goods.

Despite his public quest for alternative trade partners, Lula acknowledged the importance of Brazil's relationship with the world's economic powerhouses and stressed that improved trade relations with China will not serve to replace existing ones.

"We all know the importance of (trade relations) with the United States and the European Union, but we also all know the limits in doing business with them," he said.

Lula appears to be trying to keep the peace between Brazil and the United States even though his ambitions regarding China are controversial say the least.

"The two countries are determined ... (to improve) strategic relations, not only regarding trade, but also in technology, defense and culture," said Lula on Tuesday.

The president also emphasized Brazil and China's common thinking in relation to world bodies like the United Nations, "We (Brazil and China) have to work together for the democratization of the United Nations," said Lula, who has lobbied for Brazil to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

Both countries have alleged that the world body is being unjustly manipulated to suit U.S. interests. Lula himself is an ardent critic of U.S. foreign policy and spoke out against the invasion of Iraq last year.

The Brazilian leader hopes that by improving Brazilian-Sino ties he can win another ally in his quest to get Brazil a permanent seat on the council. He already has the backing of most of Latin America and many Middle Eastern countries he visited by convincing them that he would be a voice of moderation on the council.

Washington will surely find fault with any attempt by Brazil to share weapon's secrets with China, as it has already drawn suspicion regarding its nuclear energy plants.

Defense officials and the White House were miffed with Brazil last month when it refused to allow U.N. nuclear inspectors to examine a uranium enriching facility near Rio de Janeiro.

Brazilian officials insisted the facility -- still under construction -- would produce only low-enriched uranium used as fuel in power plants and not the highly enriched material used in weapons.

They also say the inspections are unnecessary and intrusive, since Brazil formally abstained from nuclear weapon development in the 1990s. Since then, they have relented and allowed inspectors to view some sectors of the facility, though kept others hidden to protect technology developed in Brazil.

Washington is fearful Brazil's action will set a dangerous precedent for other nations. It is also concerned Brazil could develop the material for other nations seeking to create nuclear weapons. Brazil was major supplier of uranium to Iraq from 1979 until 1990.

Bush officials also expressed their dismay with statements made by Lula during his presidential run in 2002, when he complained that the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty was unfair.

"If someone asks me to disarm and keep a slingshot while he comes at me with a cannon, what good does that do?" Said Lula during a campaign speech.

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