Prates said Petrobras aims to open the Chinese subsidiary next year, after getting formal approval. "It's important to them," Prates said in a phone interview during a business trip to China. "It is an interesting signal, saying that in the same way that we have a Petrobras America, we will have a Petrobras China, because both countries are equally important to us," he added. Prates said Petrobras China subsidiary would allow Petrobras to operate and participate in projects as partner even in other countries, including in Africa. Petrobras wants to increase its share of China's oil imports to 15% from the current 5% in the next 10 to 20 years, Prates said.

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Persons: Sergio Moraes, Jean Paul Prates, Jair Bolsonaro, Prates, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, didn't, Marta Nogueira, Gabriel Araujo, Brad Haynes, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A, REUTERS, DE, Petrobras, PETR4, Reuters, Petrobras America, White House, HK, CITIC, China Development Bank, Bank of China, Thomson Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, DE JANEIRO, SA, China, Petrobras China, United States, Beijing, Africa