Portugal’s Economy Minister Manuel Caldeira Cabral says his country wants to take part in the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, China Radio International (CRI) reports.

Mr Cabral reportedly said his country’s participation would be beneficial because it is a gateway to Europe and Africa, with good-quality harbours. He said Portugal had paid attention to the Mainland’s strategy from the beginning.

Mr Cabral made the comments at the Boao Forum for Asia 2017 in Hainan on Saturday.

President Xi Jinping proposed the “One Belt, One Road” initiative in 2013. The infrastructure development programme is designed to connect the economies on trade routes that have historically linked the Mainland to the rest of the world.