A delegation led by Portuguese Secretary of State for Economy Leonardo Mathias begins a visit to China on Tuesday. Its aim is to “strengthen cooperation” between the two nations, Portuguese news agency Lusa reports.

The delegation, including representatives of the Portuguese Food Safety and Economic Authority (ASAE), will spend eight days in China, including stops in Macao and Hong Kong.

“Bilateral economic relations have shown a remarkable growth in many sectors,” Mr Mathias told Lusa.

China was ranked the 28th major trading partner of Portugal in 2008 but is now placed 12th, Mr Mathias said, adding that the value of trade between the two nations “has grown more than 300 percent in six years”.

Mr Mathias is the first Portuguese official to visit China in 2015, a year that marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of “the comprehensive strategic partnership” between the two countries, according to Lusa.

The Portuguese delegation is expected to meet with representatives of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and Chinese companies who have interests in Portugal, including China Three Gorges and Huawei Technology Co. They will also meet with China’s biggest private property developer Wanda Group and state-run sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp.

According to Lusa, the aggregate amount of Chinese investment in Portugal has grown to over 10 billion euros (US$11.19 billion) since 2011.