Premier Li Keqiang announced 18 measures on Tuesday in Macao to boost ties with Portuguese-speaking countries in fields such as production capacity, people-to-people exchanges and maritime development.

The measures will be implemented in the next three years, and the Chinese government will support the Macao Special Administrative Region in establishing a financial service program, cultural exchange centers, bilingual training bases and juvenile innovation centers for exchanges with these countries, the premier said.

China resumed sovereignty over Macao in December 1999 after it had been ruled since the mid-16th century by Portugal.