Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Cai Run has said the prospects for co-operation between China and Portugal are bright, particularly under the auspices of the Chinese Belt and Road initiative, Xinhua reports.
The Chinese government-run news agency quotes Mr Cai as saying so in an interview with Chinese reporters granted to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Portugal and the People’s Republic of China.
Mr Cai said Portugal was among the 140 and more countries or international bodies that had struck agreements to co-operate with the Belt and Road scheme, and that Sino-Portuguese co-operation drew on the strengths of the Portuguese as a seafaring nation, which made their country an important stop on the modern-day Silk Road.
He said Portugal was an important partner of China, being one of the founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank started by China.
Over the years, China and Portugal have engaged in trade with and investment in each other, and co-operated in the areas of energy, science and technology, maritime matters, finance, education, culture and tourism, Xinhua quotes the ambassador as saying.
