MACAO -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Tuesday China is willing to build more substantial economic and trade ties and develop long-term stable and sound partnership with Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs).

China and PSCs account for 17 percent of the global economy and 22 percent of the world population, and their common interests and need of mutual support are increasing, said Li at the opening of the fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and PSCs.

The Belt and Road Initiative highly accords with the development plans of many PSCs , Li said in a keynote speech, noting that both China and PSCs are located along the major international shipping routes.

Bilateral relations between China and PSCs are at the best period in history, said Li, pointing to the fact that trade between the two sides amounted to almost $100 bln last year.

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