Free trade platforms in Hengqin to link three continents

(ECNS) -- The Hengqin free trade zone in Zhuhai city, South China's Guangdong province aims to turn itself into a bridge connecting three continents, Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Friday.

The zone, to be officially opened after China's Lunar New Year, is to launch three trade platforms targeting markets in Brazil, Portugal and Angola.

These platforms would be developed into trade links to Latin America, Europe and Africa respectively, said Liu Jia, party chief of Hengqin New Area.

The Hengqin free trade zone focuses primarily on trade with Portuguese-speaking countries, Liu said.

The Brazil-targeted initiative will mainly focus on farm products and bulk commodities such as iron ore and grain, while the African equivalent looks to bulk commodities alone.

"We'll make efforts to build Hengqin into a host platform that promotes the industrial diversity of Macao," said Li Jia, party chief of Zhuhai.

He added that a relaxed trade environment would be created for this purpose.