BEIJING (Reuters) - China will encourage more of its companies to invest in Portugal in areas such as finance, insurance, health care and infrastructure, President Xi Jinping has told the visiting Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa.

Both countries need to deepen cooperation in investment and explore more markets, Mr Xi said, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement issued late on Saturday (Oct 8).

"China is willing to encourage investment in Portugal and expand to areas including finance, insurance, health care and infrastructure," the statement paraphrased Mr Xi as saying, without giving details.

Mr Xi also repeated China's support for the process of European integration, the Foreign Ministry said.

Costa will also meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and visit the former Portuguese colony of Macau for a cooperation forum for China and Portuguese-speaking countries.