The Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCILC) marked an important milestone in its history with the official opening of its Representative Office in Changsha, capital of China’s Hunan province.

Although the office was established in April 2025, the official inauguration ceremony took place on 18 June 2026, with Bernardo Mendia, Secretary-General of CCILC, in attendance. The opening of this representation reinforces the Chamber’s commitment to deepening economic, commercial and institutional relations between Portugal and China.

With the office now fully operational, CCILC establishes a permanent presence in mainland China, enabling it to provide closer support to its members, partners and entities interested in developing activity in the Chinese market. The new structure’s main functions include local business support, facilitation of institutional and corporate contacts, as well as monitoring investment and economic co-operation initiatives.

The opening of the Changsha office represents another step in the Chamber’s evolution. Founded in Lisbon in 1978 and with a permanent delegation in Macau since 1992, CCILC now strengthens its capacity to operate on the Chinese mainland through a local team dedicated to supporting its members and partners.

Alongside the inauguration ceremony, an exchange meeting on market opportunities in Portugal was also held, organised by Hunan Xiangjiang New Area. The initiative brought together Portuguese and Chinese representatives, providing a space for dialogue on investment, trade and economic co-operation opportunities between the two countries.

CCILC thanked all the entities and institutions involved in this process and reaffirmed its intention to continue building bridges of co-operation between Portugal and China, contributing to the strengthening of business relations and the creation of new business opportunities for both markets.