China and Portugal are due to sign a memorandum of understanding with regard to agriculture, the Director-General of the Department of Personnel and Labour of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, Bi Meijia, has announced. The news was reported by Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Mr Bi was speaking to reporters this week during a visit to Portugal by a Chinese delegation. He said China was willing to accept Portuguese pork products and fruit into its domestic market.

Processes linked to licensing by the Chinese authorities for such imports are still under way, Mr Bi said. But he noted – as quoted by the media outlet – the meeting he had this week with Portugal’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, Luís Capoulas Santos, was “very positive”.

Mr Capoulas Santos said he was optimistic about negotiations with China regarding the export of Portuguese pork products and fruit. He said the two agribusiness segments were “very important for Portuguese exports” and had “great growth potential”.