Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged his country and Portugal to cooperate more closely in the fields of energy, finance and infrastructure, and in third countries, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency quotes Mr Xi as telling Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa over the telephone last Friday that he welcomes Portugal to take part in the Initiative on Partnership for Africa’s Development, a joint effort by China and African countries to support the recovery of Africa from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Xi said his country is willing to keep helping Portugal counter the disease.

Chinese companies are welcome to do business in Portugal and in cooperation with Portuguese firms, Xinhua quotes Mr Rebelo de Sousa as saying.

Separately, the Portuguese news agency, Lusa, quotes Mr Rebelo de Sousa as saying he and Mr Xi also discussed Macao and its Portuguese community.