China to step up ties with Portugal, as Lisbon supports end to arms embargo

China and Portugal agreed to step up ties Wednesday as visiting President Jorge Sampaio pledged to work with the European Union to lift a 15-year old arms embargo on China.

Sampaio was welcomed by President Hu Jintao at Beijing's Great Hall of the People where they praised the efforts made by both sides in the 1999 handover of the former Portuguese colony of Macau to Chinese sovereignty.

"Since the establishment of diplomatic relations our ties have steadily developed. At the end of the last century we smoothly resolved the Macau issue through friendly consultations and the bilateral relations entered a new era," Hu was quoted by state television as saying.

Hu called for the further development of relations in all areas, including more high-level exchanges and greater consultations on international issues, the report said.

"The smooth handover of Macau five years ago has given Portugal and China a strategic opportunity to strengthen friendly cooperation," said Sampaio, on his first visit to China since the handover.

Earlier, Sampaio told China Central Television he would work with the EU to get the arms embargo lifted.

"Portugal is open to lifting the embargo as long as the right political conditions are met and there is a consensus in the EU for this decision," Portuguese daily newspaper Jornal de Noticias quoted him as telling Chinese news station CCTV9.

"It will not be easy to convince some of our European partners but this is what we will try to do," he added.

The European Union imposed the arms embargo after the 1989 massacre of pro-democracy protestors in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

After talks a series of agreements were signed including a pact on bilateral economic cooperation, CCTV said.

Portugal has also been given the go ahead to open a consulate in Shanghai this year.

The visit of Sampaio, who is leading a delegation of about 100 business people, marks the 25th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two countries.

He was also slated to meet with Premier Wen Jiabao, parliamentary head Wu Bangguo and former president Jiang Zeming.

During the first 11-months of 2004 trade between the two nations, excluding Macau and Hong Kong, totaled 786 million dollars (602 million euros), with China posting a trade surplus of some 264 million dollars, Chinese government statistics cited by national news agency Lusa show.

The president is scheduled to also visit Shanghai and Macau.