2024 marked the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Portugal. From January to October last year, the bilateral trade volume between China and Portugal amounted to USD 7.705 billion, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.3%, injecting momentum into global economic stability.

As a major foreign trade province in China, Guangdong has achieved fruitful results in pragmatic cooperation with Portugal. The development of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin has also further opened up new prospects for enterprises from Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs) represented by Portugal to venture into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and tap into the vast potential of the Chinese mainland market.

"The GBA will be privileged in the China-Portugal relationship. It's a trading spot like no other in the world nowadays," said Bernardo Mendia, Secretary-General of the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCILC), in a recent interview with GDToday. 

He emphasized that Hengqin serves as a natural choice for Portuguese companies and those from PSCs. The beneficial policies concerning Hengqin have attracted the intense attention of these companies, as they strive to fully leverage the advantages and further cooperate with China.

Looking ahead, he believes that both parties can cooperate in areas such as the low-carbon economy, renewable energy, and electric vehicles to bring higher-quality products to the world.

China's neweconomic focus is of global importance

According to Mendia, cooperation between China and Portugal should focus on identifying common interests and achieving mutual benefits.

"The particular fields that we are most interested in are those where China has developed and put its efforts more in recent years, such as the low-carbon economy, renewable energy, and electric vehicles." He emphasized that these fields are not only of great significance globally but also crucial for achieving global decarbonization.

He pointed out that some people claim that China has overcapacity, but he finds this notion ridiculous. In reality, the global demand for low-carbon technologies and products is far from being met. China, with its strong production capacity and competitiveness in this regard, is capable of providing high-quality and reasonably priced products to the world. "It will also push the European side to be more competitive."

At the same time, cooperation on importing and producing these quality products also benefits the Europeans by raising their living standards and creating more job opportunities. "If instead of paying sixty thousand euros, I only have to pay thirty thousand euros for a car that is the same standard, then of course, this is a benefit for the people," he explained.

“What we as Europeans need to do is to negotiate the opening of our market with the Chinese authorities by producing these cars in Europe; this should be our main objective,” noted Mendia, considering the cooperation to be a win-win one.

Hengqin serves as a crucial entry point for PSCs companies to enter China

In July 2024, the Zhuhai Municipal People's Government and the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin held an economic and trade exchange in Lisbon, Portugal. During the exchange, the Investment Promotion Bureau of Zhuhai, the Economic Development Bureau of Hengqin, and CCILC signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement.

Mendia expressed his admiration for Guangdong's efforts to draw foreign investments. For him,  the GBA is a great starting point for Portuguese companies to thrive, as it has a huge population of 80 million and numerous high-tech industries.

Mendia also pointed out that the integration of Macao and Hengqin presents an opportunity for Portuguese companies. "Hengqin brings a lot of advantages for companies doing business here. It's also three times bigger than Macao. We can imagine its potential."

He noted that many companies pay a lot of attention to Hengqin, as the policies here are very friendly. "A number of Portuguese firms based in Macao have already opened offices in Hengqin, bringing significant business potential between China and Portugal, other PSCs, and the whole world."

Anticipating greater connectivity and people-to-people ties

Apart from economic cooperation, the relationship between China and Portugal has also been enriched by exchanges and mutual understanding. As for Mendia, Macao stands as a prime example of the successful relationship between the two countries, showcasing how different regimes and ideologies can manage a relationship effectively. He noted that the cooperation serves as an inspiration for the rest of the world, demonstrating that through discussion, negotiation, and agreement, common ground can always be found.

For China's visa-free policy to most European Union countries, Mendia said that Portugal is delighted to be included in the scope of the policy, and that it has had a positive impact on mutual relationships. "For us, most Portuguese companies coming to China are small and medium enterprises. This is also a benefit because the previous process of obtaining a visa was hard and also expensive. Now the travel is very good."

To enhance connectivity further, Mendia proposed the establishment of a direct air route between Guangdong and Portugal, which would deepen communication between the two regions.

In this digital age, social media has also become a new connecting point for different regions. Talking about the recent rush of netizens all over the world to the Chinese platform Xiaohongshu (the Red Note), Mendia commented that social media has the potential to bring people closer, fostering understanding and goodwill.

"We need to talk and understand each other," said Mendia. "We will always find common ground to keep progressing."

Xiao Wenge, a reporter for Nanfang Daily, also contributed to this article.