Trade value between China and Portuguese-speaking countries is expected to total 35 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2006, Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai said Sunday in Macao.

Bo made the prediction while addressing the enterprisers' session of the 2nd Ministerial Conference of the Forum on Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries here Sunday.

Bo said the trade value stood at 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2003, when the first ministerial conference of the forum was held, and 23 billion dollars in 2005. The trade value will surpass 33 billion dollars or even reaching 35 billion dollars this year.

He suggested further bilateral cooperation in such fields as agriculture and fishery, infrastructure, two-way investment and bilateral trade.

Present at the session were more than 500 enterprisers from China, Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Timor-Leste.

Source: Xinhua