The head of a Lisbon think-tank expects the Chinese government One Belt, One Road initiative to strengthen links between China and the Portuguese-speaking world, the Ni Hao website reports.

The Portuguese news website quotes New Silk Road Friends Association President Fernanda Ilhéu as saying so at a gathering near Lisbon to launch a new book, entitled “The New Silk Road and the Portuguese-speaking Countries”, of which she is co-editor.

The report says the other co-editors are City University of Macau academic Francisco Leandro and Lisbon University Orient Institute researcher Paulo Duarte.

The book shows how each lusophone country ought to assess the opportunities offered by the One Belt, One Road initiative, Ni Hao quotes Community of Portuguese Language Countries Executive Director Francisco Ribeiro Teles as saying.