Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva begins today a four-day visit to China which will take him first to the southern Chinese province of Guangdong and the neighbouring city of Macao, and then to Beijing, Lusa reports.

The Portuguese news agency, citing a written statement issued by the Portuguese Foreign Ministry, says the purpose of the visit is to strengthen Sino-Portuguese relations before Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Portugal.

Mr Xi is due to visit Portugal this year.

The report says that in Guangdong the foreign minister will open the new Portuguese consulate-general in the city of Guangzhou and meet Guangdong Governor Ma Xingrui, and that in Macao he will meet Portuguese living there and Macao Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On.

In Beijing he will attend a meeting of the Sino-Portuguese joint economic commission, and meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, Lusa says.