Portuguese consultants Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI) will send a business mission to China next month to look into the latest phase of industrial development there, Lusa reports.

The Portuguese news agency says the SPI party will visit Shanghai, the southwestern city of Chengdu and the eastern city of Wuxi between 6 and 11 May.

The report says the mission is part of a European Commission programme, co-ordinated by SPI, to help European technology companies in the Chinese market.

The purpose of the mission is to learn from Chinese plans to set up technology industries which add high value, such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, robotics and electric vehicles industries, and to introduce greater automation in manufacturing, Lusa says.