Portuguese consulting firm Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI) will lead a project to set up a European centre for research and innovation in China, Lusa reports.

The Portuguese news agency says the European Commission chose the Portuguese company to lead the 3 million euro (US$3.1 million) project, called ERICENA, which will be paid for by the EU Horizon 2020 programme.

“The goal is to create a centre capable of supporting researchers, entrepreneurs, European start-ups and SMEs in their first steps in approaching the Chinese market,” SPI’s Sara Medina is quoted as saying.

The centre will be built in Beijing and it is due to start work in 2019.