Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and Portuguese Economy Minister Pedro Reis met in Lisbon this week to bolster economic collaboration and address growing trade tensions. Their talks focused on expanding bilateral trade, enhancing investment flows, and countering what Wang called \"dangerous\" EU protectionist policies.
Wang emphasized China's commitment to advancing outcomes from April's Forum Macao summit, a key platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking economies. He criticized recent EU trade measures, stating they disrupt industrial cooperation and erode Chinese investor confidence in Europe. \"Protectionism isn’t a solution—it’s a dead end,\" Wang declared, urging equal dialogue with the EU to ensure fair competition.
Reis aligned with China’s stance, calling expanded cooperation \"the right path\" against trade barriers. The ministers pledged to boost partnerships in agriculture, tech, cultural exchanges, and third-party markets. Portugal also aims to leverage Forum Macao’s role as a bridge connecting 1.4 billion Chinese consumers with Portuguese-speaking markets.
