Ambassador António Martins da Cruz, Chairman of the Board of the Oeiras Valley Investment Agency, attended the 11th Portugal-China Gala, organized by the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCILC), held on October 28 at the Salão Preto e Prata of Casino Estoril.
Held under the theme “Innovating for a Sustainable Future,” the Gala brought together institutional, diplomatic, and business representatives from Portugal and China. It served as an important occasion to celebrate bilateral relations and recognize significant contributions to economic, trade, educational, and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
One of the evening’s highlights was the Business Merit Awards ceremony, which recognized organizations and institutions for their contributions to strengthening Portugal-China relations. Award recipients included Caixa Geral de Depósitos/Banco Nacional Ultramarino, XPENG/Salvador Caetano, ISCTE, in partnership with JOINCO and Guangzhou City University of Technology, the Association of Chinese Companies in Portugal, Instituto Técnico de Lisboa, the University of Saint Joseph in Macao, and the Lisbon Chinese School. The Municipality of Vila Franca de Xira received an Honorable Mention.
Ambassador António Martins da Cruz also took part in presenting the General Vasco Rocha Vieira Award to Commander So Shu Fai (Ambrose So), in recognition of his contribution to the development of relations between Portugal and China.
This year’s edition also welcomed an institutional and business delegation from Changsha, led by Kang Zhenlin, Vice Mayor of the Changsha Municipal People’s Government, further strengthening the event’s international dimension and potential for business engagement.
OVIA’s participation in the Gala reflects the importance the Agency places on Portugal-China cooperation and dialogue between institutions, businesses, and investors. The Agency will continue working to bring the two markets closer together, promote investment opportunities, and support the development of partnerships that contribute to economic growth and strengthen Oeiras’ international profile.
