Beijing, China, 9 Feb – The President of China, Hu Jintao, showed “great appreciation” for Portugal’s role in its relations with China and the European Union in a message honouring 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“China attaches importance to Portugal’s role in the European Union and international affairs,” said Hu Jintao in a message given to his Portuguese counterpart, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, marking the 30-year anniversary celebrated on Sunday.
In his message Hu Jintao said that China “is willing to work together with the country in enhancing exchanges and cooperation, boosting trust and friendship, and constantly enriching the content of bilateral relations in order to push their comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high”.
Hu Jintao, who is also general secretary for the Communist Party of China, noted that at end of the last century, in 1999, the two countries resolved the issue of Macau “through friendly consultations, laying a good foundation for the development of China-Portugal relations in the new century”.
“China appreciates Portugal’s adherence to the one-China policy, its stance on developing ties with China as one of the priority targets in the country’s diplomatic policy and its move of actively promoting China-Europe relations,” the President of China said.
The establishment of the China-Portugal comprehensive strategic partnership in 2005, by Wen Jiabao and José Sócrates, the two country’s respective prime ministers, opened a new chapter in their relations, Hu Jintao said in his message.
“Despite the difference in their national situation, China and Portugal have same or similar views and broad common interests in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development,” Hu Jintao concluded.
Portugal and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations on the 8 February, 1979.
(MacauNews)
