A concert in Beijing which brought together Portuguese soprano Elisabete Matos, Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro and the China National Symphony Orchestra opened on Monday the 2019 Portugal Cultural Festival, the China Business Times reports.

The Chinese-language newspaper says the programme for the festival includes performances of folk music and classical music, showings of films, literary events and art exhibitions throughout the year.

The report says the festival organised by the Portuguese Embassy in China marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Portugal.

The festival demonstrates the strong friendship between the Portuguese and Chinese nations and their deep respect for each other, the China Business Times quotes Portuguese Ambassador to China José Augusto Duarte as saying.

Separately, a Chinese state-run newspaper, the Global Times, reports that Portuguese Minister of Culture Graca Fonseca will attend today the second China-Portugal Literature Forum that is part of the festival.