According to data from the Bank of Portugal, China's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Portugal reached a record value of 3.96 billion euros in 2024, a growth of 9.3 per cent compared to 2023, accumulating 14 consecutive years of growth and multiplying 4.5 times in the last decade.

As well as the more high-profile investments, ‘which are state-owned and in the national interest’, there are others that are ‘less talked about and which are also operating here’, such as the China Railway Rolling Stock Corp (CRRC) Tangshan, which manufactured the new trains for the Metro do Porto, says Jorge Chang, a lawyer at Melo Alves. 

In the private sector, large Chinese companies have partnerships with Mota-Engil and Teixeira Duarte and want to continue developing projects. This diversification of investments reflects a comprehensive strategy aimed at establishing a presence in multiple sectors of the Portuguese economy.

(Source: SAPO, on March 10)