Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 25, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
China aims to strengthen ties with Europe amid global trade tensions, as discussed in a meeting with Portugal's foreign minister in Beijing.
BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese foreign minister met with his Portuguese counterpart in Beijing on Tuesday, calling for closer ties with Europe as Chinese and European leaders navigate intensifying global trade tensions.
China will work with Portugal to promote Chinese-European relations, Wang Yi told Portugal's Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, according to a Chinese ministry statement.
"China regards Europe as an important pole in a multipolar world, and supports Europe in maintaining its strategic autonomy," Wang said.
Rangel's visit, the first by a high-level Portuguese government official in over five years, came as EU member states fret over the prospect of a trade war with both Washington and Beijing.
Top officials in Beijing and European capitals are looking at each other with renewed interest as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration threatens to upend transatlantic ties and global trade.
Apart from Rangel, the French foreign minister and Italy's Senate president are all scheduled to visit China and meet with top Chinese officials this week.
The United States is the main destination for Portuguese exports outside of the EU, while Portugal is the only country in western Europe still signed up to Beijing's flagship overseas infrastructure plan, the Belt and Road Initiative.
Last year, Portugal abstained from an EU vote to impose tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles, and has welcomed Chinese investments from the industry.
(Reporting by Xiuhao Chen and Ryan Woo; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Ros Russell)
The main topic is China's effort to strengthen relations with Europe amid global trade tensions.
Portugal's visit is significant as it is the first high-level visit in over five years, highlighting renewed interest in China-Europe relations.
China regards Europe as an important pole in a multipolar world and supports its strategic autonomy.
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