BRASILIA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Education Minister Aloizio Mercadante Wednesday highlighted the importance of carrying out student exchange programs with China.

"While developed economies are in decline, Brazil and China are part of a strong emerging group. We expect to further consolidate and strengthen our economic, political and technological ties every day," Mercadante spoke in Sao Paulo at the opening of the two-day seminar themed "Brazil-China Dialog on Education."

The two countries signed an agreement last June to have 5,000 Brazilian university students study in China within the framework of "Science Without Borders," an educational program launched by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

The program, which is expected to send 100,000 Brazilian students abroad in 2014, aims to address Brazil's lack of technological expertise.

Mercadante said China's technological advances in recent decades can help Brazil achieve the goals set out in the program.

The seminar was organized by the Coordination for Training of Teachers in Higher Education, a Brazilian agency that funds and manages the training of academic professionals.