Chinese FM hopes Portugal to help promote China-EU ties

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel in New York, the United States, May 27, 2026. [Photo by Li Rui/Xinhua]

NEW YORK, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday expressed hope that Portugal would play an active role in promoting China-EU relations during his meeting with Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel in New York.

China has always regarded the European Union (EU) as an important pole in a multipolar world and supports Europe in achieving strategic autonomy, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

China and Europe are fully capable of helping each other succeed and achieving mutual benefits, Wang said.

The Chinese top diplomat said that China is ready to work with Portugal to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two nations, strengthen cooperation in new energy, and deepen cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, so as to support the development and revitalization of both sides.

For his part, Rangel said Portugal-China relations enjoy good momentum of development with bright prospects. Portugal firmly adheres to the one-China policy and will reaffirm this clear stance on both bilateral and multilateral occasions.

Portugal opposes protectionism, supports free trade, and is willing to promote the stable and healthy development of EU-China relations, he said.

Wang and Rangel are in New York for a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council on upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system.

Calling the high-level meeting convened by China timely, Rangel said that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states are rooted in the multilateral system and embodied in international law, while supporting the United Nations serves the common interests of Portugal, China and all other countries.