Investments made by Chinese companies in Portuguese-speaking countries totalled US$6.5 billion in 2014, said Fang Qiuchen, president of the China International Contractors Association.

His remarks were made during the Ministerial Meeting on Infrastructure between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries held in Macau last week, local newspaper Macao Daily News reported.

The Chinese investments mainly focused on housing and transportation, Mr Fang explained, adding the co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries “has further deepened” in the past decade.

He acknowledged the size of the Chinese investments in the Portuguese-speaking countries was “relatively small” compared with the size of investments made in other regions, but he was “confident” the value would continue to grow in the future.

“Our members are willing to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome together with the enterprises of Portuguese-speaking countries, through our solid technical skills, standardised management, high standard of quality in public works and low carbon emission practices,” he added.

The ministerial meeting was organised by the Permanent Secretariat to the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. It was attended by 180 representatives and experts from the infrastructure sector of Mainland China, Portuguese-speaking Countries and Macao.