The value in renminbi of Chinese merchandise exports fell to 13.84 trillion yuan (US$2 trillion) last year, 2 percent less than the year before, while the value of imports rose by 0.6 percent to 10.49 trillion yuan, Xinhua reports.

Economic activity in Brazil was 0.2 percent greater in November than the month before, Reuters reports. The news agency, citing the Brazilian central bank’s latest IBC-Br index, says the growth in activity was due to increased retail sales.

China Road and Bridge Corp has expressed interest in taking part in building a deep-water port and in modernising an airport in São Tomé and Príncipe, Macauhub reports.

Mainland China plans to send a medical team to São Tomé and Príncipe next month, Macauhub reports. The website quotes Ministry of Health official Yong Feng as saying a reconnaissance of hospitals and other healthcare facilities would identify the needs of the mission but dentistry, cardiology and general surgery were among the priorities.

Protectionism and sluggish demand means trade will remain “complicated” this year according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

China’s economy will grow by 6.5 percent this year according to the World Bank in its Global Economic Prospects report.

Cape Verde signed a financing deal with Mainland China this week that would see Beijing provide US$15 million to help implement the second phase of an e-governance project.

November’s exports from Portugal reached 5.5 billion (US$4.9 billion), last year’s peak, according to data released by Statistics Portugal. Data regarding December has not been released yet.

Angola’s biggest export market in the second quarter of last year was Mainland China, Portuguese news agency Lusa reports.

The Mainland economy grew about 6.7 percent last year, according to the chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Nine companies from Mainland China will tour São Tomé and Príncipe to identify investments in infrastructure projects, the Macauhub website reports.

Fosun International Holdings will increase its holding in Banco Comercial Português, Portugal’s biggest private bank, from 16.7 percent to 30 percent, Agence France-Presse reports.