The new portal, accessible via the address http://Portuguese.people.com.CN , has as its stated aim reporting on "the economy, politics, society, education, culture, sport, science, tourism" among other subjects, as part of efforts to "promote the interchange and understanding between Portuguese-language internauts and China."


The initiative, it said, is part of the "global development strategy of the online People's Daily", which already has versions in English, Russian, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, German and Korean.


The launch of the new section in Portuguese coincides with the opening of the first ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, between the country and states from the Latin America and the Caribbean, which has brought to Beijing officials from 34 countries.
China's state new agency, Xinhua, and its international radio broadcaster also have services in Portuguese.


The teaching of China has developed hugely in recent years as economic ties between it and members of the Community of Portuguese-Language Countries (CPLP), especially Brazil, Angola and Portugal. Whereas in 2000 there were just two universities in China offering degree courses in Portuguese, now there are 18.