LISBON, Portugal (AP) — While some powerful European Union governments are uneasy about China possibly capturing control of the bloc's critical energy and transport infrastructure, one of western Europe's smallest economies is grabbing the opportunity with both hands.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is due in Portugal on Tuesday for a 24-hour state visit. The Portuguese government hopes Beijing will invest in the country's biggest Atlantic port and help expand national energy company Energias de Portugal overseas.
France and other EU countries, and the European Commission, have deep misgivings about Portugal possibly signing up to China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative that seeks to link Asia to Europe, saying Beijing's strategy could help fracture the EU.
But Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva says Portugal is "very interested" in the multibillion-dollar infrastructure loan scheme.
