The value of settlements in renminbi of business between China and the Portuguese-speaking world was 3.59 billion yuan (US$520.2 million) last year, the Macao Daily News reports.
The newspaper quotes an official of the Chinese central bank, Huo Yingli, as telling a seminar in Macao that Sino-Brazilian and Sino-Mozambican deals accounted for most of the value.
Ms Huo said the value of trade between China and the lusophone countries rose to US$147.7 billion last year, 25.3 percent more than the year before.
She said Chinese direct investment in the Portuguese-speaking world grew to about US$1.2 billion in 2017 from US$100 million in 2015.
The report quotes another official of the central bank, Zhang Zhengxin, as telling the seminar China is considering arranging for regular consultations among the governors of its own central bank the central banks of lusophone countries.
The Chinese central bank and the Monetary Authority of Macao will soon reach a currency swap agreement to help Macao serve as a clearing house for business between China and the Portuguese-speaking world settled in yuan, the Macao Daily News quotes Mr Zhang as saying.
