On April 1, representatives of Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) and the Consulate-General of Portugal in Guangzhou co-planted an oak tree, the National Tree of Portugal at Yuntai Garden, Guangzhou.

(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

China and Portugal are important partners, whose bilateral relations have enjoyed sustainable and sound growth. Portugal and Guangzhou have also conducted cooperation in many areas, according to Zhan Decun, Director-General of the Guangzhou FAO.

Since Guangzhou and Coimbra established friendship city relationships in 2013, the two cities have witnessed frequent exchange between high-level municipal leaders.

Zhan Decun, Director-General of the Guangzhou FAO.(Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

Moreover, universities from both cities have good interaction. As a founding member, University of Coimbra joined the Alliance of Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU) launched by Guangzhou University in 2018, and actively participate in the affairs of this alliance. The two universities have achieved fruitful cooperation. In 2019, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and University of Porto worked together to set up the Confucius institute.

The oak tree has been sent by André Sobral Cordeiro, the Consul General of Portugal in Guangzhou. He chose the oak because it's part of Portuguese people's life. Moreover, this tree is intended to symbolize the relations between China and Portugal.

André Sobral Cordeiro, the Consul General of Portugal in Guangzhou.（Photo: Hannah)

Guangzhou has been committed to improving its environment. The city is the best among metropolises in China in terms of air quality, and it takes the lead among China’s top cities in terms of parks and greenland area per capita. Guangzhou is the first city in China to join the Voluntary Local Review (VLR) of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Cordeiro comments, in the 4 years he has lived in Guangzhou, he has seen a clear amelioration of the environment, not only air, but also water and soil.”

（Photo: Hannah)

Zhan concluded, “We are living in a garden city, and I hope this oak tree of environmental protection and friendship will thrive here. It will remind our grandchildren and future generations of the friendship and cooperation between Portugal and Guangzhou.”