Beijing, March 25, 2025 (Lusa) - Portugal's foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, on Tuesday emphasised the "important role" of Chinese investment in the Portuguese economy during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, according to a statement issued by the Chinese authorities.
The head of Portuguese diplomacy invited "more Chinese companies to invest and prosper in Portugal" and indicated that Lisbon "is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in the fields of economy and trade, energy, health, finance, infrastructure and ecological transformation".
Rangel said that Portugal and China "have a long history of interaction" and that relations between the two countries "have been developing well", according to the press release issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Beijing and Lisbon "set an example to the world" by resolving the Macau issue peacefully, it added.
Quoted in the same statement, Wang Yi emphasised the "good tradition of mutual respect and support" between the two countries.
"Portugal is one of the countries in the European Union that receives the most Chinese investment "per capita"," said the head of Chinese diplomacy, who called for “broadening cooperation in the fields of investment in projects, ecological transformation, digital economy, innovation and research and development, information and communication”.
Wang emphasised the role Macau can play "as a bridge to promote the relationship between the two countries to achieve greater development".
The Chinese diplomat expressed his "support for Europe in maintaining its strategic autonomy" and his hope "that Portugal will play an active role" in the "healthy development of relations between China and Europe".
The two ministers "discussed issues of common interest, such as the “crisis” in Ukraine", according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which gave no further details.
In the last decade, China has become Portugal's fourth largest foreign direct investor. Chinese companies, both state-owned and private, have a global position valued at €11.2 billion in the Portuguese economy, according to the Bank of Portugal (BdP).
The investments cover the areas of energy, banking, insurance and health.
In 2018, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the "Belt and Road" initiative, Beijing's infrastructure megaproject to expand its global influence by building ports, railway lines, or motorways.
JPI/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
