Analysts consider the management of Sino-EU relations to be an important task for Portugal, now that it has taken over the presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency quotes economist António Casimiro of the University of Coimbra as saying Portugal must maintain what he describes as a complex balance in EU relations with the United States and China.

The report quotes a specialist in law and international relations, Gustavo Batista, as saying China is the main economic partner of the European Union, so the union is unlikely to treat it as obstructive or hostile.

The importance of the Chinese economy will keep growing, Xinhua quotes Mr Batista as saying.