Lisbon, Portugal — Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and Portuguese Economy Minister Pedro Reis met on Tuesday to discuss ways to enhance bilateral economic and trade relations between their countries.
During the talks held in Lisbon, Wang expressed China’s commitment to collaborating with Portugal to implement the outcomes of the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, commonly known as Forum Macao, which took place in Macao earlier this year.
Addressing concerns over fair competition, Wang criticized recent trade protection measures by the European Union, stating that they have disrupted mutually beneficial industrial cooperation and undermined the confidence of Chinese enterprises investing in Europe. He emphasized that protectionism is not a viable solution but a dangerous dead end.
“We need to engage in equal discussions with the EU about our economic and trade concerns,” Wang said. “Fair competition based on expanded cooperation is crucial for improving China-European economic and trade relations.”
Reis echoed Wang’s sentiments, highlighting that expanding cooperation and ensuring fair competition are the right approaches to counter trade protectionism. He stressed the importance of strengthening collaboration between Chinese and Portuguese enterprises to contribute positively to global economic development.
“Portugal is eager to enhance cooperation with China in mutual investment, trade of agricultural and food products, people-to-people exchanges, and third-party market collaboration,” Reis said. He also emphasized enhancing the role of Forum Macao in these efforts.
The meeting underscores both nations’ dedication to fostering stronger economic ties and addressing common challenges in the global market.
Reference(s):
Chinese commerce minister meets with Portuguese economy minister
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