Portuguese PresidentMarcelo Rebelo de Sousa meets with and gives an exclusive interview to Yang Zhenwu, President of People's Daily in Lisbon, capital of Portugal on Tuesday. (Photo: Yang Xuebo from People’s Daily)

“Portugal pays attention to China’s important role in the development of Africa,” Portuguese President MarceloRebelo de Sousa told Yang Zhenwu, head of the People’s Daily, in his first interview with foreign media since assuming office.

Rebelo de Sousa said he believed that China gives priority to Africa in its diplomacy, citing the more than 2,000 Chinese enterprises in various African countries focusing on providing assistance in poverty alleviation, industry and finance.

“The Portuguese side always hopes to strengthen cooperative ties between both enterprises,” the president said, adding that his country also expects to explore the possibility of launching trilateral cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries like Angola and Mozambique.

Meanwhile, both countries should mull over trilateral cooperation mechanisms in other economies, such as African countries or the Latin-American community, he added.

Over the years, China and Portugal have reaped a series of early harvests by seeking trilateral cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries and the EU.

Portuguese PresidentMarceloRebelo de Sousa poses for photo together with Yang Zhenwu, President of People's Daily, and Cai Run (1st from the left), Chinese Ambassador to Portugal in Lisbon, capital of Portugal on Tuesday. (Photo: Yang Xuebo from People’s Daily)

Under the framework of Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), a batch of cooperation projects in agriculture and raw material excavation has been approved for implementation.

Fully acknowledging the positive role of the forum, Rebelo de Sousa said there can be trilateral cooperation projects in fishing, education, environmental protection, new energy and other areas in the future.

The 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries is scheduled to be held in Macao this year.