Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, meets with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in Lisbon, Portugal, November 21, 2024. Zhao paid an official goodwill visit to Portugal from November 21 to 23 at the invitation from José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, President of the Portuguese Parliament. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

China’s top lawmaker Zhao Leji paid an official goodwill visit from Thursday to Saturday to Portugal, during which Zhao expressed willingness to expand bilateral cooperation while expressing hope that Portugal will work with China to inject more positive energy into the development of China and the EU. links.

Zhao, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, met with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, and held talks with Portuguese Parliament Speaker José Pedro Aguiar-Branco during of his three-day visit.

During his meeting with Rebelo de Sousa, Zhao conveyed to him the cordial greetings and best wishes of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Zhao said that in recent years, under the strategic leadership of the two heads of state, the China-Portugal comprehensive strategic partnership has deepened and made solid progress, characterized by steady progress in cooperation in the framework of the Belt and Road, as well as by cultural and human wealth. exchanges between people.

China appreciates Portugal’s long-standing adherence to the one-China principle and is willing to engage with Portugal on the basis of mutual respect and equality, strengthening their ties as good friends who respect and trust each other, reliable partners for common development and close companions in mutual learning. between civilizations, Zhao said.

We hope Portugal will continue to play an active role in the European Union (EU) and inject more positive energy into the development of China-EU relations, Zhao said.

For his part, Rebelo de Sousa asked Zhao to convey his sincere greetings to Xi, stressing that Portugal and China are good friends with mutual understanding and affection.

Noting that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to China’s homeland, the Portuguese president said Portugal is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges. level with China and deepen friendly exchanges. and strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade, new energies, the maritime economy and the digital economy.

Portugal firmly adheres to multilateralism and guarantees the role of the United Nations (UN) and the authority of international law. It is very important that Europe and China strengthen their dialogue, and Portugal is willing to play an active role in this regard, Rebelo de Sousa said.

During his meeting with Montenegro, Zhao said China has always viewed and developed its relations with Portugal from a strategic and long-term perspective, and is willing to work with Portugal to firmly support the core interests and the major concerns of each and to consolidate mutual political trust. .

Zhao envisions closer cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, technological innovation, personnel training, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges, encouraging companies from both countries to increase their investments and their cooperation.

Zhao said China will continue to advance collaboration with Portugal within the UN and other multilateral frameworks, strengthen communication on international issues such as free trade, global security and climate change. , and promote closer multilateral coordination and healthy and stable development of China-EU relations.

Montenegro noted that Portugal always adheres to the one-China principle and praises the practice of “one country, two systems” in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

Stressing that China is an important economic partner for Portugal and that his country attaches importance to attracting Chinese investments, the Portuguese Prime Minister hoped for more exchanges and cooperation with China in the fields of science and technology, the maritime economy, culture and sports.

Portugal supports the constant development of EU-China relations and is willing to strengthen cooperation with China on climate change in bilateral and multilateral frameworks, Montenegro said.

During his meeting with Aguiar-Branco, Zhao said the National People’s Congress of China is ready to work with the Portuguese parliament to deepen friendly exchanges between the two high-level legislative bodies, special committees, legislators and local legislative bodies and strengthen exchanges of legislative and supervisory experience to provide legal guarantees to promote bilateral cooperation in various fields and create a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment.

Zhao also expressed hope that Portuguese lawmakers in the European Parliament will continue to support friendly cooperation between China and the EU.

Furthermore, Zhao said that over the past 25 years since Macao’s handover to China, the practice of “one country, two systems” has achieved remarkable results.

He added that the Chinese central government would continue to fully, faithfully and relentlessly implement the principle of “one country, two systems” according to which the Macao people administer Macao with a high degree of autonomy, and support Macao to better integrate into the national system. development.

China is willing to further consolidate cooperation with Portugal on the Macao platform and achieve more cooperation results, Zhao said.

Aguiar-Branco said the two countries adhere to mutual respect, openness and win-win cooperation, and have achieved positive results in cooperation in various fields. Faced with the complex international situation, Portugal hopes to strengthen communication and cooperation with China and jointly safeguard the United Nations Charter and multilateralism, he added.

The Portuguese Parliament is willing to work with the National People’s Congress of China to promote closer exchanges at various levels and make contributions as a legislative body to strengthening practical cooperation and friendship between the two peoples, Aguiar-Branco said.

Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, meets with Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro in Lisbon, Portugal, November 21, 2024. Zhao paid an official goodwill visit to Portugal from November 21 to 23 at the invitation from José Pedro. Aguiar-Branco, President of the Portuguese Parliament. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, talks with José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, Speaker of the Portuguese Parliament, in Lisbon, Portugal, November 22, 2024. Zhao paid an official goodwill visit to Portugal from November 21. to the 23rd at the invitation of Aguiar-Branco. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)