China considering creating Sino-Lusophone forum for cooperation and prevention of epidemics

China is studying the possibility of creating a Sino-Lusophone forum for cooperation and prevention of epidemics, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced.

The idea is to reinforce “cooperation in the area of ​​health and prevention of epidemics between China and Portuguese-speaking countries”, explained the spokesman at the ministry’s regular press conference.

On the other hand, Beijing will seek to promote food exports from Portuguese-speaking countries to China, he added.

The same spokesman highlighted the role of the Macau Special Administrative Region in articulating with Portuguese-speaking countries during the pandemic, especially through the Forum for Economic and Commercial Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

During the pandemic, China has been sending medication and equipment to Portuguese-speaking countries, with which it has also promoted training and sharing experiences on treatment and prevention related to the new coronavirus, with teams on the ground and online conferences.

China defined the Macau SAR as a platform for economic and trade cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries in 2003, the year in which it created the Macau Forum.

The covid-19 pandemic has already claimed more than one million and eighty-seven thousand deaths and more than 38.2 million cases of infection worldwide, according to a report made by the news agency France-Presse (AFP).