Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates begins a five-day official visit to China tomorrow, aiming to boost the flow of trade and investment between Portugal and the fast-growing Asian giant.
Socrates will be accompanied by four cabinet ministers and over 70 business leaders who already have, or plan to open, operations in China on what will be the first visit to the country by a Portuguese prime minister in eight years.
The trip includes stops in Beijing, China's financial capital Shanghai and Macau, a former Portuguese colony that reverted to Chinese rule in 1999.
"Portuguese business leaders need to look at the opportunities offered by the Chinese market with new eyes," said Socrates earlier this month after he met with the business delegation that will travel with him.
The visit is part of a wider effort by the Socialist government, in office since March 2005, to revive Portugal's sluggish economy by boosting exports to emerging markets such as Angola, Brazil, China and India.
Last year Socrates led a trade delegation to oil-rich Angola, one of Africa's fastest-growing economies, and earlier this month Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva led another delegation on a seven-day visit to India.
Roughly three-quarters of Portugal's exports currently go to its fellow EU member states.
During his visit Socrates is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao (
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