China congratulates Lula on election win

China on Monday congratulated Brazil's leftist President Lula da Silva on his re-election, even as challenger Flavio Bolsonaro refused to accept defeat.

"China has noted that Brazil's Superior Electoral Court has announced President Lula has won the second round of the Brazilian general election, and expresses its congratulations," foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular briefing, adding that Beijing was "willing to work with Brazil to continue advancing the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future."

Asked about Bolsonaro saying he would request an annulment of the elections, Guo said: "China respects the choice of the Brazilian people."