The Portuguese Jorge Álvares Foundation, or FJA, has chosen Zhao Zhilin, a student at the Shanghai International Studies University in eastern China, to be the sole recipient this year of the FJA Award, the university says.

Ms Zhao, who is studying for a master’s degree in Portuguese language and literature, won the award for an essay she wrote on the teaching of the Portuguese language at Chinese universities, the Shanghai International Studies University announced in writing on Wednesday.

Ms Zhao hopes she can carry on doing research into the Portuguese and Chinese languages, and so contribute to the tightening of Sino-Portuguese ties in the fields of education and culture, her university says.

The FJA website says the award is meant to spur postgraduates studying at Chinese and Portuguese universities to do research into the relationship between mainland China and Macao on one hand and Portugal on the other.