Portuguese president says willing to promote greater development of China-Portugal relations

LISBON, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Monday that Portugal is willing to work together with China to promote greater development of bilateral relations.

De Sousa made the remarks while receiving the credentials of Yang Yirui, China's newly appointed ambassador to Portugal. He welcomed Yang on his assumption of office and spoke positively of the development of China-Portugal relations.

Yang said that China has always viewed its relations with Portugal from a strategic and long-term perspective. In recent years, President Xi Jinping and President De Sousa have successfully paid state visits to each other, charting the course for the development of bilateral relations. Political mutual trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results, and people-to-people exchanges have grown increasingly close, bringing tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries.

China is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Portugal to further advance bilateral relations, Yang said. ■