Portuguese maker of sofas and mattresses Grupo Aquinos is planning to penetrate the Chinese market, Jornal do Centro reports.

The Portuguese newspaper quotes Grupo Aquinos Chief Executive Carlos Aquino as saying Chinese consumers are eager to buy goods bearing European brands.

Mr Aquino said putting the Grupo Aquinos plan into action had been set back for several months by the coronavirus epidemic.

He said offices in the southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Hong Kong were the present extent of his company’s penetration of China.

Grupo Aquinos has sold products worth over 300 million euros (about US$342 million) in over 40 countries, Jornal do Centro says, without saying over what period the company made the sales.