China and Portugal will make more efforts to strengthen their economic and trade cooperation, officials from the two countries said in Beijing Tuesday.

Vice Minister of Commerce Zhang Zhigang said at the fifth Sino-Portuguese trade fair that China's economy has developed rapidly since the reform and opening policy was implemented.

Economic and trade cooperation between China and Portugal face great opportunities and the two sides have potential in promoting exchanges of trade and investment, he said.

"We welcome Portuguese entrepreneurs to invest in the west and northeast of China," he said.

Franquelim Garcia Alves, secretary of state of the Ministry of Economy of Portugal, said the fifth Sino-Portuguese trade fair falls during the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries and when Portuguese Foreign Minister Teresa Patricio Gouveia is visiting China.

This indicates that the Portuguese government values exchanges and cooperation with China in political, economic and cultural fields, Alves said.

The two sides agreed to strengthen exchanges between trade departments and enterprises, and at the same time to expand cooperation in tourism.

Statistics from Chinese Customs indicated trade volume between China and Portugal exceeded US$600 million in 2003, an increase of 56.7 percent, among which China's imports are approaching US$200 million, an increase of 135.5 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2004)