Recently, Luís Costa, director of the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (AICEP) in Shanghai, pointed out that the China International Import Expo (CIIE) acts as a powerful commercial bridge, facilitating the rapid entry of these prized Portuguese products into the vast Chinese market. The director observes a growing enthusiasm among Chinese consumers for Portuguese specialties, especially red wine and olive oil.

He said that the CIIE has been extremely beneficial for the development of Portuguese companies, with many managing to establish new business relationships through this platform.

According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, Portugal was China's third largest Portuguese-speaking trading partner in 2024, registering total business worth US$9.28 billion, an annual increase of 6.6%. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Portugal comprehensive strategic partnership. China has held the position of Portugal's largest trading partner in Asia for several consecutive years. Chinese investments in Portugal will cover a diverse spectrum of sectors, including energy, finance, insurance, health, among others.

(Source: People’ Daily Online, on July 15)