By Len Port

Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, met with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday and urged him to use his influence on Russia’s Vladimir Putin to help bring about peace in Ukraine.

Luís Montenegro is the first Portuguese government leader to visit Beijing in nearly a decade. His visit came just a week after China’s spectacular parade of top military equipment, which seemed to equal, if not exceed, that of its major opponent, the United States.

The parade marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Japan. However, it also hinted at the possibility of a Third World War looming.

Montenegro told the Chinese leader, “We really count on your contribution and the close relationship that China maintains with the Russian Federation in order for us to build, as fast as possible, a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

This appeal was fully in line with the condemnation by Portugal, together with its European Union and NATO allies, of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Economically, China is being accused of flooding the world with cheap goods, thereby supporting Russia’s war effort. At the same time, President Trump’s tariffs are crippling the exports of many countries, including those of Portugal.

Direct investment from China into Portugal in 2024 is estimated to have reached €12 billion by the end of the year. While Portugal’s economic relationship with China has been growing closer, there is still some way to go.

Meanwhile, Portugal continues to condemn Israel’s relentless devastation in Gaza, particularly this week’s extraordinary attack in Qatar, a key participant in peace talks and a close ally of the pro-Israel United States.

Then, on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, came Russia’s unprecedented violation of Poland’s airspace by numerous drones. The Polish government described it as “an act of aggression that posed a real threat to our citizens.”

It was regarded as a serious provocation and an example of worsening relations between Russia and both the European Union and NATO. Other EU countries are now taking steps to intercept Russian drones, while NATO—of which Portugal has long been a founding member—remains on high alert.

Portugal stands in full solidarity with the Polish and Ukrainian people.
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Len Port, born in Northern Ireland, worked as a news reporter and correspondent, mainly in Hong Kong and South Africa, before moving to Portugal many years ago.