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In 1508, the King of Portugal ordered the Commander of the Fleet that departed for the discovery of Malacca, to “obtain all manner of information on the habits and uses” of that mysterious land, known as the Middle Empire.

The wealthy millenary Chinese culture would always continue to exercise an especially intense interest in the minds of the Portuguese. We established regular relations, opened trading routes and commenced an era of knowledge interchange, which marked the routes of world History. Our peoples learnt how to become acquainted and to respect each other, building links of friendship that have lasted until now.

It is in this same spirit that I welcome Your Excellency, Mister President, and Mrs LiuYongqing, as well as the eminent delegation that accompanies you on this first State Visit that you hold to Portugal.

A visit that, I am certain, will greatly contribute towards the strengthening of our relationship.

Portugal and China re-established diplomatic relations in 1979. We have reasons to be proud of the path we have jointly treaded since then.

In 1987, I had the honour to subscribe, on behalf of Portugal, the Joint Luso-Chinese Declaration on the Issue of Macau, which recognized the specific characteristics of the Territory and opened up a procedure of transition that has been an example to the whole world. Fundamental conditions of trust were created that ensured the stability and economic and social development from which Macau has been benefiting.

Macau performs a focal role in the relationship between Portugal and China, as well as those between China and the official Portuguese speaking countries. This is the testimony of the Macau Forum, whose next meeting, with the presence, amongst others, of the Chinese and Portuguese Heads of State, raises great expectations.

The level of excellence that is a characteristic of our relationship led, in 2005, to the setting up of a Global Strategic Partnership, a sign of the willingness of our two countries to proceed with a mutually advantageous cooperation aimed towards the future.

And the future is promising.

The internal reforms, the opening and the growing participation of China in the economic and financial world system have granted it, in the last three decades, notable indices of economic growth, which reflect on the level and the quality in the life of its people.

A growth that matched an increasing assertion in the international political scenario.

Portugal, in its place, is a Member State of the European Union and of the Euro Zone, with an open economy, which invests in areas of technological innovation, encasing a large potential for the development of our cooperation with China.

Our geographical situation and our privileged relations and the strong presence of our companies in Africa and Latin America, specifically in Portuguese speaking countries, are other factors that cause Portugal to be an attractive destination for Chinese investment and that justify a stake in the establishment of Luso-Chinese entrepreneurial partnerships.

I thus believe that we have available the conditions required for the desired quantitative and qualitative progress in our economic and entrepreneurial relations.

Entrepreneurial contacts and agreements that shall be entered into during this Visit will allow, I am certain, our companies and entrepreneurs to become better acquainted, opening up new business opportunities and thus contributing towards the change in the large imbalance that exists in our trade exchange.

With regard to culture, it is our duty to provide answers to the growing interest of our peoples, visibly shown by the significant increase in the number of Chinese who wish to learn the Portuguese language, as well as the growing demand to learn the Chinese language in Portugal.

Mister President,

We live in times of great challenges. The economic and financial crisis has shown the need for a revision of global financial architecture, regulation and supervision.

This, however, is not the first globally sized crisis. On the eve of another relevant G-20 Summit, it is important that we recall the lessons provided by the past.

Considering the interdependency that characterizes the reality of our times, we must learn to avoid confrontation, isolationism and protectionism, and work jointly towards the opening and transparency of the markets and on behalf of a fairer and more balanced global system, which privileges constructive dialogue amongst partners.

It is in this spirit and with this conviction that Portugal is ready to exercise its mandate in the United Nations Security Council in the 2011-2012 two year period.

The need to reinforce international cooperation and coordination confers particular emphasis to the relations between the EU and China. Portugal is an active defender in the strengthening of such relations, a strengthening based upon mutual respect and on an unreserved dialogue over all matters of common interest.

Mister President,

History, culture, human bonds and the interests we share are the solid pillars of the relations we wish to be more than ever dynamic and ambitious.

It is in this spirit that I ask you all to join me in a toast to the health of President Hu Jintao and Mrs. LiuYongqing, to the strengthening of the friendship and of the strategic partnership between Portugal and China, and to the increased prosperity of our peoples.

Thank you very much.