Li Keqiang (left, front) holds a welcoming ceremony for Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa before their talks in Beijing
China and Portugal have vowed to upgrade economic cooperation by enhancing investment and trade and exploring the third-party market. The pledge came as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sunday.
Hailing the two countries’ economies as highly complementary, Li called on both sides to realize the potential of cooperation and link China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Portuguese development.
Li encouraged the two countries to consolidate and explore the third-party market and multilateral cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries, and enhance cooperation in areas such as agriculture, infrastructure and auto manufacturing.
“We can combine China’s market potential and advantages in equipment manufacturing with Portugal’s advanced technology to create long-lasting and mutually beneficial cooperation,” Li said at a press conference.
Both countries can create new growth points in the sectors of energy connectivity, renewable energy and clean energy, Li told Costa, calling on both sides to be committed to trade and investment liberalization.
Li said he believed that Portugal will provide a better investment environment and better legal safeguards for investors, including Chinese entrepreneurs.
Costa, who was in Beijing at the start of a five-day official visit that started on Saturday, said Portugal was willing to maintain high-level visits with China, jointly promote third-party market cooperation and deepen investment and trade cooperation in areas such as energy, finance, port and railway construction, agriculture and tourism.
The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on enhancing third-party market cooperation.
Both countries also called for more diplomatic and cultural exchange, with the signing of documents to open direct flights from Beijing to Lisbon, and the establishment of each other’s cultural centers in both countries.
On the political front, Li said the bilateral relations have undergone stable and healthy development in the past 37 years since the two forged diplomatic ties. The Chinese PM also mentioned that Portugal and China realized the smooth handover of Macau from Portugal to China in 1999 via negotiation, which set a good example for countries to deal with historical issues and opened a new chapter for China-Portugal ties.
On EU integration, Li said China has always viewed the EU from a strategic height and long-term perspective, supported the process of EU integration, and believed that a united, prosperous and stable EU was in line with the interests of all sides and conducive to the world’s economic recovery. MDT/Xinhua
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