A centre to train Portuguese-speaking professionals capable of helping facilitate the Belt and Road Initiative opened in Shanghai yesterday, the Shanghai Daily reports.

The newspaper said the Consulate-General of Portugal and Shanghai University of Electric Power launched the centre at the Shanghai Forum 2017, which ends today.

The university’s centre will focus on cultural exchanges between Portugal and the Mainland, and deliver language and cultural courses with the assistance of the Macao Polytechnic Institute.

The university’s vice-president Li Yanling said the school would help tackle the Mainland’s “lack of Portuguese-speaking talents on electric power”.

Leading Mainland utilities, including State Grid Corp., Power Construction Corp. and China Datang Corp. have invested in electric power projects in Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique and Angola.

Students will be able to take Portuguese language courses from September.