The Portugal-China Small and Medium Enterprises Chamber of Commerce and a chamber of commerce in the Azores have agreed to cooperate in spurring exports from the Portuguese Atlantic archipelago to China, Lusa reports.

The Portuguese news agency says representatives of the Sino-Portuguese chamber and the chamber in the Azores, the Câmara do Comércio de Angra do Heroísmo (CCAH), signed the agreement on Monday.

The report quotes CCAH President Marcos Couto as saying the Azores could sell milk, infant formula, cheese and butter to China, and draw Chinese investment to the islands.

Mr Couto hopes the Sino-Portuguese chamber can help enterprises in the Azores comply with Chinese rules governing exporters to niche markets in China, the report says.

The head of the Sino-Portuguese chamber, Chow Y Ping, would like to show Chinese investors opportunities in the Azores in tourism, and opportunities for exploiting the surrounding waters, which are interesting and important to China, Lusa quotes Mr Chow as saying.