Lisbon, Portugal – The Community of Portuguese-Language Countries (CPLP) would like to see China become an associate observer, the organisaiton’s executive secretary said on Thursday, expressing the view that it is “quite possible” this will happen.
“We have all witnessed the great interest that China has expressed in relation to Portuguese-languae countries,” said Maria do Carmo Silveira in an interview with Lusa. “China is today an extremely important partner for Portuguese-language countries in Africa, and not only for them.”
Silveira, a diplomat from Sao Tome and Príncipe, is due to step down on 31 December and be replaced by Portugal’s Francisco Ribeiro Telles.
Asked about the possibility that China might become a CPLP associated observer, joining the existing 19 observers, she replied: “Who knows… It’s quite possible.” The CPLP would, she said, be pleased to see that happen and China “would be very welcome”,
On whether China has expressed an interest already, Silveira said she did not have “any indication” that it had, but added that “you never know” when it might happen.
China’s president, Xi Jinping, said during a state visit to Portugal in early December that his country wanted to bolster existing projects with Portugal, and defended multilateralism, free trade and peace, in a joint statement with Portugal’s prime minister, António Costa. Both men said that bilateral relations were at their best ever.
Xi promised to raise the “global strategic partnership to a new level”, particularly in the context of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ infrastructure plan to boost its global trade.
China in 2010 announced the creation of a Fund for Development Cooperation between China and Portuguese-Language Countries, endowed with $1 billion dollars (€879 million at the current exchange rate). Of that $200 million is earmarked for the fund’s own capital, while the remaining $800 million is for loans and the financing of projects for the construction of infrastructure, transport, communications, energy, agriculture and natural resources, among other areas of common interest between China and Portuguese-language countries.
The Fund is managed by the China-Africa Development Fund, under the aegis of the China Development Bank. Projects to be supported should promote local economic development and improve the quality of life of residents.
The CPLP’s member states are Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and East Timor.
