Brazil is seeking closer trade relations with Southeast Asia, the South American nation's minister for external relations said Friday during a visit to Singapore.

Celso Amorim, who arrived in Singapore from a two-day visit to Vietnam, was speaking to reporters after attending a business seminar.

The trip is part of his government's effort "for having closer relations with countries in Southeast Asia and the Far East," he said.

"Our trade with the region is still very uneven," Amorim said, calling trade with Singapore already significant while with Vietnam it is "almost negative" but offers much potential.

Brazil's junior trade minister Welber Barral said late last year that his country is one of the 30 biggest exporters in the world, according to the World Trade Organisation, and by 2010 will be among the 25 biggest.