Editor's note: Jose Carlos Martins, executive director for marketing, sales and strategy at Brazilian mining firm Vale, talks about the importance of business with China.

How would you characterize the relationship between Vale and China?

Vale has had a long relationship with China. We had our first exploratory visit back in the 1970s and we were immediately struck by the potential China had to offer. When we came back to Brazil we realized that Chinese growth would be the key to our own expansion at Vale.