The “Belt and Road” Initiative might lead to more co-operation between China and Portugal, the Government-run news agency Xinhua reports.

The chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, Zhang Dejiang, met Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Antonio Costa in Lisbon this week.

The Xinhua report quotes Zhang as saying there had been strong bilateral co-operation between the two countries. The “Belt and Road” initiative and Portugal’s advantageous geographic location could lead to greater co-operation.

Mr Sousa said Portugal was willing to work with China to seize the opportunity and deepen their ties.

The “Belt and Road”, proposed in 2013, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network that better connects Asia with Europe and Africa.