On the morning of September 9, 2025, President Xi Jinping met with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

President Xi noted that both China and Portugal are countries with profound historical heritage, and our peoples share the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, enterprise, and self-reliance. The two sides properly resolved the issue of Macao through friendly consultations. In recent years, important achievements have been made in cooperation across various fields, setting a fine example of mutual respect and mutual benefit between countries with different social systems and national conditions. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Portugal. China stands ready to strengthen strategic communication with Portugal, keep bilateral relations on the right course and take them to new heights, and make greater contributions to the prosperity and progress of the two countries and the world through unity and cooperation. The two sides should carry forward traditional friendship, enhance mutual trust and support, foster greater synergy between our development strategies, expand practical cooperation in innovation, green development, ocean, medicine and other fields, leverage Macao’s unique role as a bridge, make good use of mechanisms such as the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries, and achieve higher levels of mutual benefit and win-win results. The two sides should encourage exchanges in culture, education, tourism, and scientific research to deepen people-to-people ties. The more volatile and turbulent the international situation becomes, the more China and EU need to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and deepen cooperation. China hopes that Portugal will work with us to uphold the China-EU partnership and promote the sustained, steady, and sound development of China-EU relations.

President Xi emphasized that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the founding of the United Nations. The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, and humanity once again finds itself at a historical crossroads. China stands ready to enhance multilateral coordination with Portugal, jointly practice true multilateralism, uphold the authority of the United Nations, safeguard the free trade system, and work for a more just and equitable global governance system.

Prime Minister Montenegro conveyed President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s cordial greetings to President Xi Jinping. He noted that Portugal-China relations are both time-honored and future-oriented, and the two countries had properly resolved the issue of Macao through friendly consultation. The remarkable success of Macao over the past 25 years stands as full vindication of the Portuguese government’s decision at that time. Portugal will continue to adhere to the one-China policy and will never forget the invaluable support China provided during the most challenging period of its economy. Portugal is firmly committed to deepening friendly cooperation with China and looks forward to enhancing political mutual trust, strengthening trade and economic ties, promoting two-way investment, and deepening cooperation in energy, finance, public health and water conservancy—all with the aim of advancing bilateral relations. China plays a vital role in international affairs. Portugal agrees with the important ideas underpinning the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi, stands ready to work jointly to safeguard multilateralism, and welcomes China’s greater contribution to improving the global governance system. China is an irreplaceable cooperation partner for Europe, and Portugal is ready to play an active role in promoting the healthy and stable development of EU-China relations.

Wang Yi was present at the meeting.