Thirty years of Socialist China in Portugal's Foreign Policy

Abstract

The article looks to the status of Portugal-China bilateral relations in the context of an enormous trade deficit, the fading of Portuguese economic interests in Macao and China, and the removal of China as a vector of Portugal foreign policy. The author stresses that the causes of the phenomenon lay down in the concentration of political priorities in European integration, NATO solidarity and traditional cultural links with former Portuguese-speaking Africa countries. Although the interest advanced by the Chinese side Portugal has made little to invert the situation and its weight on the strategic European relations with the PRC (second in the rank of foreign partners) is minimal representing 0,50% of EU exports to China. China has conceded the “strategic partner” status to five European countries (France, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany) till now and as attributed the same condition to the European Union as a whole.