Under the conditions of the global economic crisis, China and Portugal should reinforce cooperation and jointly combat the problem, Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), said in Beijing Thursday.

He made the remarks at a reception commemorating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Chen said China attaches great importance on developing relationship with European countries.

He hoped Portugal could play an active role in strengthening the confidence of other European countries amid economic crisis.

Also addressing the reception, Portuguese ambassador to China, Rui Quartin Santos, said Portugal, as a member state of the European Union, was committed to stepping up Sino-European relations.

Portugal and China have fostered cooperation in fields including politics, the economy, culture and international issues, Santos said.

Portugal ruled China's Macao region for about 400 years. The Chinese government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao in 1999.

Other than an important platform for communication between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, today's Macao Special Administrative Region serves as an important bridge for China-Portugal relations, Santos said.

China's trade volume with Portugal in January-November 2008 reached 2,480,001,000 U.S. dollars, up 23.1 percent year-on-year.

(Xinhua News Agency February 12, 2009)