China ready to deepen cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries: minister

China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao attended a forum on Monday between China and Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs) in the Macao Special Administrative Region, to discuss further upgrades to multilateral cooperation by connecting with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

Before the forum, Wang met with visiting Portuguese Minister of Economy Pedro Reis on Sunday. The two sides had in-depth discussions in multiple key areas including China-Portugal economic and trade relations and enhancement of bilateral cooperation.

The 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), also known as Forum Macao, was held on Monday, which clarified key areas of economic and trade cooperation between China and PSCs and reinforced Macao's role as a commercial and trade service platform.

Wang pointed out that as most of the PSCs have signed documents related to the BRI, MOFCOM will promote the connection between Forum Macao and the BRI.

China is ready to work with PSCs in facilitating trade and investment, opening up the industrial and supply chains, increasing support for livelihood promotion projects, improving the Forum Macao mechanism, and forming a diverse and new cooperation pattern, said Wang.

Representatives from nine PSCs - Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor-Leste - attended the forum and delivered speeches.

The representatives said that Forum Macao is a major platform for conducting mutually beneficial cooperation in fields such as investment, industry promotion, and personnel and cultural communication.

2024 marks the 45th anniversary of China and Portugal establishing diplomatic relations. During the meeting with Reis, Wang said China and Portugal should develop more practical cooperation to address the consensus by leaders of the two nations, and inject vitality into China-PSC relations.

Reis said China-Portugal business and trade cooperation has seen good results, playing a positive role in boosting economic development. He also said that Portugal wishes to maintain close communication and cooperation with China, enhance bilateral investment, and promote third-party market cooperation.