Portugal's Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, recently spoke with CGTN Europe, emphasizing the nation's strong and growing bilateral relationship with China. He highlighted significant growth in trade, investment, and tourism between the two countries and noted ongoing efforts to expand cooperation, particularly in green technologies, leveraging Portugal's strengths in renewable energy and strategic maritime ports.
Amid rising global trade tensions, Leitão Amaro underscored Portugal's commitment to maintaining balanced relations with China, the European Union, and the United States. He advocated for a diplomatic approach centered on dialogue and cooperation, promoting peace while safeguarding Portugal's national interests.
Amid rising global trade tensions, Leitão Amaro underscored Portugal's commitment to maintaining balanced relations with China, the European Union, and the United States. He advocated for a diplomatic approach centered on dialogue and cooperation, promoting peace while safeguarding Portugal's national interests.
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00:00Portugal's Minister of the Presidency says his country wants to be a bridge builder in a world of rising trade tension.
00:07It comes as China and the EU mark half a century of diplomatic ties.
00:11Our correspondent Li Jinhua spoke to the minister.
00:15I would say the bilateral relationship is pretty good.
00:20The foreign investment and trade are growing.
00:23Then on social, at social and cultural level, the rise in tourism.
00:29I would say, you know, Chinese people know Portugal better than ever at political level.
00:35We are two different countries with their own governments with different views on many aspects.
00:41But high-level interactions have been happening both at economic, social and political level.
00:50The relationship is now a good one.
00:57And during Portuguese Foreign Minister Hangzhou's visit to Beijing in March, both parties highlighted some of the areas where both countries can probably have deeper cooperation, including trade economy and grain transition.
01:12So what specific opportunities exist for both countries in grain technologies?
01:17And how is your government facilitating grain transition?
01:21So one message important is that Portugal is, in the world, one of the countries that produces more electricity out of renewable sources.
01:31We started that green revolution about two decades ago.
01:38So we are very strong on solar.
01:40We are very strong on wind.
01:41I would like also to bring attention to our access to the sea, to the Atlantic Ocean.
01:46We have one very large maritime port in Singe.
01:51It's not the only one through which we can come, pass and go to Europe.
01:59This conjunction of well-educated people, renewable resources that we have at home, plus the geographic location, are a combination that is very interesting to invest in.
02:13Portugal has secured many Chinese investments, and it's still in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.
02:21Do you face increasing criticism from your EU partners, given that the EU is adopting this de-risking approach towards China?
02:30Well, I would say that that's, of course, a delicate issue.
02:34We know where we are.
02:36We are in Europe.
02:37We cherish the European values of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights.
02:43We have a very strong Atlantic relationship with the United States.
02:47But we also have very important historic and present economic, political and social relations with China, with African countries, with Brazil.
03:00We don't want to be closer to one against the other.
03:04Of course, there are moments where tensions escalate so much, and then we have to team up with our closest allies.
03:12Still, we think this is a moment where we can still save the world from unstoppable drive of global tension, both economic and military tensions.
03:29Yeah, as you said, we're witnessing more tensions now.
03:33Donald Trump has announced sweeping tariffs on many countries across the world, reciprocal tariffs, in his words, including the U.S. traditional allies like the European Union and Portugal, of course.
03:46How do you think that could impact Portugal's economy, given that the United States is still the largest single export market for a country?
03:55We have some areas that are very exposed to trade, to exports to the United States.
04:02We will sell less to the U.S. if the tariffs rise.
04:08We must be ready if other economic partners keep that drive to use our own defense.
04:16Again, going back, national interest should be in the top of our priorities, always.
04:22And do you think that could potentially change Europe's de-risking approach towards China?
04:28Well, I would say it depends on the behavior of all actors.
04:34We must understand the fears that all governments have, with or without the trade wars.
04:41We should, and I think we as Portugal, as a pivotal player in the European scene,
04:48we will work towards increasing relationship between Europe and China.
04:53So, I would say, de-risking, but also de-escalate tensions.
05:00Try to reduce both.