China and Portugal issued a joint press communiqué on Thursday,
the third day of Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio's state visit
to China.
In the communiqué, China and Portugal speak positively of their
relationship over the past 25 years and vow to further enhance
bilateral ties through strengthening high-level reciprocal visits
and deepening exchanges and cooperation in economy, culture,
education, science and technology, tourism, and judicature.
Both parties praise the achievements of the Macao Special
Administrative Region (MSAR) during the
past five years and agree that the MSAR should continue to play an
important role in strengthening ties between China and
Portugal.
Portugal will open a consulate in Shanghai and dispatch an
honorary consul to Hong Kong this year.
The country reaffirms its support of the one-China policy and
opposes any unilateral action that will change the status of Taiwan
or exacerbate cross-Straits tensions. Portugal also supports the
holding of constructive dialogues to resolve the Taiwan problem
peacefully.
Both countries reiterate the importance of the European Union's
lifting of the arms embargo on China to promote and cement
political ties. Portugal will continue supporting the ending of the
embargo in accordance with the stance it expressed at the Seventh
China-EU Leaders' Summit in December.
Both sides note the importance of the EU granting full market
economy status to China to deepen their strategic partnership.
The two countries agree that human rights dialogues between
China and the EU are conducive to promoting human rights. They will
strengthen dialogues in this regard on the basis of equality and
mutual respect.
Both nations vow to work together in the international arena to
fight AIDS, terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime, as
well as illegal immigration. They agree that China and the EU
should begin negotiating a repatriation pact at an early date.
Sampaio is visiting China from January 11 to 17 as guest of
President Hu Jintao
to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic ties between the two countries.
(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2005)