China, Portugal vow to strengthen cooperation on energy, innovation

Visiting Chinese Vice President Han Zheng inspects the Research and Development Center of Redes Energeticas Nacionais SGPS SA (REN), Portugal's national grid operator in Lisbon, Portugal, May 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

LISBON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Portugal's Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Ana Fontoura Gouveia have vowed on Monday to strengthen cooperation on energy and innovation between the two countries.

Accompanied by Gouveia, Han inspected on Monday the Research and Development Center of Redes Energeticas Nacionais SGPS SA (REN), Portugal's national grid operator in Lisbon.

Established in 2013 as a joint venture between the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) and REN, the center focuses on the research of power system simulation and analysis, renewable energy management, smart grid technology, energy market and other fields, filling the gap in the field of large-scale power grid simulation experiment in Portugal.

Han said that the two sides have given play to complementary advantages and made the center a good example of win-win cooperation between China and Portugal.

"China commends the Portuguese government for its firm efforts to promote energy transformation and support the development of the new energy industry," Han said, voicing hope that the two sides to further strengthen cooperation in technology breakthroughs, standard popularization and mechanism innovation in smart grid and other fields.

Gouveia said that Portugal-China relations are stable and bilateral cooperation in various fields, especially in the economic field, has yielded fruitful results.

"The center is of great significance to Portugal and has provided a great boost to the Portuguese government in its efforts to achieve the goal of energy transition," Gouveia said, noting that Portugal is willing to further deepen bilateral practical cooperation with China, especially in the fields of energy and innovation.

Rodrigo Costa, chief executive officer of REN, said the center's achievements have benefited China, Portugal, Europe and even the world, and it has become an important platform for international energy research and exchange.

With the support of the two governments, the center will continue to build the model of pragmatic cooperation between Portugal and China, and further strengthen the platform for global exchanges, he said.