Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Cai Run has said new opportunities for Sino-Portuguese maritime co-operation have arisen, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency quotes Mr Cai as saying China and Portugal can work together in marine research, in exploiting the sea and in building and running ports.

Mr Cai remarked that Portugal was the first Western European country to agree to collaborate in China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, and the first European Union member to form a maritime partnership with China.

Portugal has more trade with China than with anywhere else in Asia, and Chinese have invested 9 billion euros (US$10.11 billion) in Portugal, having invested more in only four other European countries, Xinhua quotes the Ambassador as saying.