[2019/08/05] Committee for Development of the Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Holds the Fourth Meeting

The Committee for Development of the Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries held today (5^th August) its fourth plenary meeting. The meeting was headed by the Committee’s Chairman, the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, Mr Chui Sai On. During the meeting, participants reviewed the work and progress made by the Committee since the fourth quarter of 2018 regarding the positioning of Macao as a commercial and trade co-operation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries (PSC). Members also discussed future work arrangements and development prospects.

Mr Chui pointed out in his speech that 2019 marked the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 20^th anniversary of Macao’s return to China’s sovereignty, as well as the start of the implementation of the “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”. In the face of a new pattern for regional co-operation and development in the “New Era”, Macao – as a service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries – had been offered unprecedented growth opportunities, he said. In order further to align with national development, the Macao SAR Government had – in relation to Macao’s Five-year Development Plan, the city’s first such plan – put forward an annex to it. The annex covers Macao’s participation in several areas related to the development of the Greater Bay Area, with key tasks including the city’s positioning as a co-operation platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, in a bid to further strengthen Macao’s role as part of the Greater Bay Area.

Mr Chui pin his hopes on the Committee members and encourage them to play an active coordinating role and to fully engage in the promotion of projects and tasks that were in accordance with Macao’s positioning and responsibilities, thereby helping to accelerate the city’s development as a co-operation platform. He added that Macao should strive for new achievements making use of the opportunities opened up by the “New Era” in order to better integrate the city’s development into national momentum. This, Mr Chui continued, would enhance Macao citizens’ sense of engagement and gain arising from the city’s position as a co-operation platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. Fruitful results brought by such positioning strategy are also expected to benefit all different sectors of society, he added.

China-PSC Platform growing at steady pace

In his speech, the Committee Vice Chairman cum the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Mr Leong Vai Tac stated that, since the Committed was found in 2016, it had been actively promoting the position of Macao as a co-operation platform between China and PSCs.

Secretary Leong pointed out that important progress had been made regarding implementation of the 18 measures announced during the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao). Progress included: completion of the official establishment in Macao of the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Federation of Entrepreneurs, a body now fully operational; the continuous promotion of Macao as a Chinese-Portuguese bilingual-talent training base; and advancement with construction of the first phase of the Complex of Commerce and Trade Co-operation Platform for China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, with such work scheduled to be completed by year-end.

Under the framework of the “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area", Macao would speed up its process of integration in national development; meanwhile, the city’s positioning as a co-operation platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries would embrace fresh development and record new achievements, said Secretary Leong. Macao would also ensure relevant preparations in place for the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), to be held in the city next year, in order further to enhance Macao’s value in the country’s development and opening-up.

According to the President of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), Irene Va Kuan Lau, the total value of China-PSC trade increased by 25.2% in 2018 in year-on-year terms. In addition, the value of Macao-PSC trade expanded by 25% during the same period. These figures showed Macao was playing an important platform role in enhancing the growth of business and trade between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, said Mrs Lau.

She added that a business delegation will be organised to visit Brazil in the fourth quarter of 2019. It would feature exchanges with local legal professionals and representatives from other sectors. The goal is to establish co-operation channels between both sides, to promote Macao-based legal professional services to Brazilian enterprises interested in exploring business opportunities in China and Chinese enterprises planning to establish a business presence in Brazil.

Other Committee members who also spoke at the meeting included: the Acting Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Macao, Ng Man Seong; the Acting Director of the Higher Education Bureau, Sílvia Ribeiro Osório Ho; the Director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mok Ian Ian; the Director of the Economic Bureau, Tai Kin Ip; the Coordinator of the Support Office to the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), Teresa Mok; and Advisor to the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance cum President and Chief Executive Officer of the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Industrial Park Development Co., Ltd., Lu Hong. Their reports covered work progress in different domains such as finance, education, culture, economic matters, trade, and traditional Chinese medicine.

Other attendees included: the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, O Lam; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Iao Man Leng; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Teng Nga Kan; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ip Peng Kin; Assistant Director-General of Macao Customs, Vong Man Chong; the Chairman of the Administration Committee on Municipal Affairs of the Municipal Affairs Bureau, José Tavares; the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; the Director of the Financial Services Bureau, Iong Kong Leong; and the Secretary General of the Committee, as well as being the Senior Manager of IPIM’s Lusophone Markets Economic and Trade Promotion Department, António Lei.

The Chief Executive of the Macao SAR and Committee Chairman, Chui Sai On, chairs the fourth plenary meeting of the Committee for Development of the Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries