"Portugal meets for China, an exhibition highlighting Sino-Portuguese cultural relations" co-sponsored by the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture and the Camoens Academy under Portuguese Foreign Ministry is inaugurated in China Millennium Monument in Beijing on Jan 14, 2005. The visiting Portuguese President Jorge Sampario and Mrs. Sampario attend the opening ceremony and visit the exhibition accompanied by Sun Jiazheng, Chinese Ministry of Culture.

A total of 38 relics of cultural importance in the history of Sino-Portuguese cultural exchange are on display this time, including 26 rare items supplied by Portugal and the remaining 12 by China. The exhibits include Portuguese Chinese Dictionary compile by early missionaries, Chinese historical records, credential submitted by John V, King of Portugal, to Yongzhen Emperor, King of China in Qing Dynasty, the imperial order issued by Qianlong Emperor, King of China in Qing Dynasty, to Portuguese King Joseph I, valuable documents such as maps, porcelains of Ming and Qing Dynasties ordered by noble Portuguese as well as a large number of Chinese version of Portuguese literature works.

According to President Sampaio's greeting in the exhibition booklet, Portugal-China relationship has had a great impact on the development of two cultures and embodied the things in common shared by the east and the west.

The Exhibition witnesses the history of early contact and exchanges between China and Portuguese 500 years ago and the all-round talks conducted on the basis of mutual understanding between people in the tow countries.

By People's Daily Online