On the evening of June 12th, the Portuguese National Day celebration was held grandly in Guangzhou. Wang Xuecheng, Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Political Consultative Conference, Tom á s Azevedo, Consul General of Portugal in Guangzhou, and He Jingqing, Vice Chairman of the Guangzhou Municipal Political Consultative Conference, attended the event. Representatives from the governments of Hainan Province, Fujian Province, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as consuls general from multiple countries stationed in Guangzhou, and friendly individuals from both China and foreign countries in the fields of economy, trade, culture, etc., jointly participated in this celebration. Thomas Azevedo, Consul General of Portugal in Guangzhou, delivered a speech at the event, stating that "this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Portugal and China, injecting new impetus into the development of the long-standing bilateral relationship." Looking back at history, the exchanges between China and Portugal have a long history. Consul General Azevedo specifically mentioned that since the first commercial exchange between Portuguese navigators in Guangdong in the 16th century, the two countries have maintained a friendly and cooperative relationship based on mutual respect. In recent years, high-level interactions between the two sides have been frequent, continuously consolidating the foundation of strategic mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries. It is worth noting that Macau's role as a bridge for Sino Portuguese cooperation continues to strengthen. Consul General Azevedo emphasized that "we are striving to leverage Macau's geographical advantage of being adjacent to Guangdong and further strengthen its important role as a service platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese speaking countries." In terms of economic cooperation, Portugal has become an important partner for Chinese enterprises in the European Union with its open investment policy. Consul General Azevedo emphasized the cooperation achievements between the two sides in the fields of energy, finance, healthcare, and others. In terms of cultural exchange, Portugal plans to collaborate with Chinese universities offering Portuguese language courses to organize youth literature competitions and other activities. Consul General Azevedo promised that the Portuguese Consulate General in Guangzhou will continuously improve its service level and provide high-quality visa services for Chinese citizens traveling to Portugal. As Consul General Azevedo stated, "Portugal has always adhered to the principle of mutual respect and is committed to establishing closer cooperation with China." Standing at an important juncture in the development of bilateral relations, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Portugal is bound to achieve new and greater development. Wang Xuecheng, Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Political Consultative Conference, delivered a speech stating that although China and Portugal are separated by a vast ocean, their friendship has long and far-reaching origins. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979, especially the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2005, both sides have always adhered to the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and promoted the continuous deepening of bilateral relations. On the occasion of the 46th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 20th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership, the two countries have continuously made new breakthroughs in areas such as political mutual trust, pragmatic cooperation, and cultural exchanges, effectively promoting the development of their respective countries and the well-being of their people. Guangdong, as the forefront and important window of China's reform and opening up, has always had close exchanges and fruitful cooperation with Portugal. ”He stated that the import and export trade volume between Guangdong and Portugal will exceed 11.3 billion yuan in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 18.7%, demonstrating strong development momentum. Currently, the city of Coveteria in Portugal has signed a friendly cooperation agreement with Longhua District in Shenzhen, which will deepen cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, science and technology innovation, and marine economy. The cultural exchange between China and Portugal continues to deepen, and the joint research between South China University of Technology and the University of Lisbon is steadily advancing. Guangdong is deeply implementing the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, taking deepening reform and expanding opening up as the driving force, and advancing the construction of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area in depth. He eagerly looked forward to Guangdong and Portugal working together to implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, deepen the high-quality cooperation of the "the Belt and Road", promote the construction of the Hengqin Guangdong Macao in-depth cooperation zone, achieve high-level mutual benefit and win-win results, and create a prosperous and beautiful future. Finally, he prayed that "China and Portugal will prosper and the friendship between the people will remain strong for a long time!" In a joyful atmosphere, the guests on site raised their glasses together to celebrate, and the unique cuisine of China and Portugal will complement each other. Delicate Cantonese Dim sum and authentic Portuguese egg tarts are presented at the same table, symbolizing the blending and symbiosis of the two cultures. This cultural dialogue on the tip of the tongue is not only a vivid footnote to the friendship between China and Portugal, but also a delicious footnote to the bright future of bilateral relations. Currently, the relationship between China and Portugal has undergone years of accumulation and is shining with a new era of brilliance. The two countries have always adhered to the principles of mutual trust, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation, and have embarked on a model path of harmonious coexistence among different civilizations. Currently, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Portugal continues to deepen, bilateral trade volume has reached a historic high, cultural exchanges are becoming increasingly close, and cooperation in scientific and technological innovation is thriving. The civilization dialogue between the the Pearl River and the Tejo River is just like the affectionate embrace of the two continents. As an important bridge for the exchange of civilizations between the East and the West, China and Portugal will take half a century of China EU cooperation as the cornerstone, inject new vitality into the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, and jointly explore the way of harmonious coexistence of different civilizations on the basis of mutual learning, mutual prosperity and mutual progress. (Xinhua News Agency) Article: Yi Chunyan Picture: Consulate General of Portugal in Guangzhou