Montenegro made these remarks at the start of his meeting with Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, during which journalists were only allowed to record the first three minutes.
“In terms of our bilateral economic cooperation, it is my duty to say that we have not forgotten—in fact, we remain very mindful of and respect the commitment that China made to the Portuguese economy at one of the most critical moments for our country, during the financial crisis,” he said.
Echoing comments made moments earlier by Xi Jinping, Montenegro also noted that in recent years the two countries have strengthened ties “across various sectors of the economy, from energy to banking, from health to water supply.”
“Our conviction is that we can continue along this path based on trust,” the Prime Minister added in his final words audible to journalists before they were asked to leave the room.
The Portuguese Prime Minister began today a two-day official visit to China, during which he will also travel to Macau, before heading to Japan for a stay until Friday, with stops in Tokyo and Osaka.
