CityU scholar hosts SYSU key lecture to discuss China-Portugal cooperation achievements and prospects

At an invitation by the Institute of Regional Openness and Cooperation in the Center of Belt and Road Research at Sun Yat-sen University, Professor Francisco Leandro, Associate Dean of the Institute for Research on Portuguese-Speaking Countries, delivered a lecture with the theme of “The Last Five Decades of Sino-Portuguese Relations: The Quest for the Belt and Road Initiative” yesterday (21) to discuss the achievements and future cooperation outlook of the two countries. The session was part of a high-profile lecture series on cooperation and openness held online and on-site which attracted a great number of experts and academics to take part.

The lecture started with a brief introduction regarding the cooperation achievement that China and Portugal made over the five decades. Prof. Francisco Leandro stated that the two countries have a history of cooperation and will continue to deepen trade and economic cooperation within the existing mechanisms and sectors in energy, health, education, tourism, insurance, and communications. “New cooperation areas related to technology and maritime (blue) economy, and people-to-people interactions, especially in tourism and education, are expected in the near future; and trilateral cooperation involving other Portuguese-speaking countries and multi-sectoral cooperation involving African, Atlantic and European countries are possible,” said Prof. Leandro. He said that despite Portugal not being on the official map of the BRI economic corridors and the blue economic passages, it is a key connecting pivot and a functional partner that facilitates access with consent to African, Atlantic and European countries.

Prof. Francisco shared a statement from the Chinese Ambassador to Portugal, Mr. Zhao Bentang, “China is willing to further synergize development strategies with Portugal. With concerted efforts from both sides, China-Portugal relations will sail toward a more splendid future, not only better benefiting the two peoples, but also contributing more to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.” The lecture was followed by a Q-and-A session and ended in a cordial atmosphere.

Source: Institute for Research on Portuguese-Speaking Countries