Carlos Tavares gives a speech at a ceremony held by the Chinese Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro to award him the China-Latin America & the Caribbean Friendship Medal and present him with a certificate on June 24, 2010. [Photo courtesy of Tavares]

On July 14, 2014, President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the Brazilian National Congress. Speaking about personages with whom China has good relations, President Xi said: "Carlos Tavares, a Brazilian old man, describes himself as 'a Brazilian with a Chinese heart.' He has written eight books and more than 500 articles on China and has given hundreds of lectures on China. Many Brazilians have come to know and approach China through his writings. When he was asked what his motivation was for doing this, he said, 'I just want to introduce China and make more people understand it, nothing else.'"

Carlos Tavares (1924–2021), a renowned Brazilian journalist and writer, began publishing articles about China in the Brazilian mainstream media in 1971 before Brazil and China established diplomatic relations. His reports opened a window for Brazilians to learn about China. For the next half century, China's history, culture and economic development were written about and published in newspapers by Tavares. He not only worked tirelessly to study and introduce China, but also played a linking role in Sino-Brazilian and Sino-Latin American relations.

In recognition of his contribution to the development of Sino-Brazilian friendship, in 2010, the China-Latin America and the Caribbean Friendship Association awarded him the China-Latin America & the Caribbean Friendship Medal.