[2019/10/15]“The 24th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair” (24th MIF) and “2019 Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao)” (2019PLPEX) to Open in Mid-October

“The 24^th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair” (24^th MIF) and “2019 Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao)” (2019PLPEX) will be held concurrently at The Venetian Macao from 17 to 19 October 2019. In alignment with national development policies and new international trends of investment, the two fairs will provide participants with an efficient networking platform for mutually-beneficial co-operation.

Organised by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) and co-organised by 15 economic and trade authorities and business associations from Macao, Mainland China, and Hong Kong, this year’s MIF continues featuring the theme “Cooperation – Key to Business Opportunities”. For this year’s MIF, Cape Verde and Jiangsu Province have been invited as the “partner country” and “partner province”. The “Cape Verde Pavilion”, covering 180 square metres, will be set up by Cabo Verde TradeInvest; and the Department of Commerce of Jiangsu Province will set up the “Jiangsu Pavilion”, which will cover nearly 300 square metres, and coordinate the exhibition of this pavilion. On the first day of the MIF, “The 9^th Industrial and Commercial Summit between Jiangsu-Macao-Portuguese Speaking Countries, Jiangsu-Macao-Cabo Verde Co-operation Forum” will be held, where representatives of economic and trade departments, business representatives, experts and scholars from the three regions will gather together to comprehensively analyse their economic and trade environments, investment policies, and dominant resources and share their practical experience, thus shedding light on how to take advantage of the role of Macao as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries to expand co-operation, increase business opportunities, and promote deeper integration.

“Innotech and Startups Zone” Builds Exchange Platform for Smart Projects

As the first fair in Macao awarded by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) in October 2005, and a grand annual event of Macao, MIF covers an area of around 24,000 square metres and offers nearly 1,500 booths this year. Various themed pavilions will be set up within the venue, including the ones for Chinese provinces and cities, countries along the Belt and Road, Portuguese-speaking countries, and European countries, together with a diverse array of themed expositions and products exhibition zones. Exhibitions are mainly related to domestic and foreign investment environments, investment projects, featured finance, food and wine, cultural creativity industry, smart technologies, fashion design, healthcare, e-commerce, and SMEs’ products. Building on the “Smart Zone” that debuted last year, an “Innotech and Startups Zone” will be set up this year to showcase distinctive, innovative products and services, such as scientific and technological achievements, innovative ideas, e-commerce products, eco-technologies, and smart home appliances, to serve as a platform for technology enterprises to carry out international exchanges on smart projects. Also, “Cross-border New Retail Pavilion” and “Brazilian Products Pavilion” are introduced at the fair this year. In addition to exhibitions, a series of summits, forums, meetings and roundtables will also be held as part of the efforts to join and support the construction of the Belt and Road, while leveraging the strengths of the “Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” and giving full play to Macao’s role as a “core engine” in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The 2019PLPEX will continue to be held concurrently with the 24^th MIF. Covering an area of approximately 6,000 square metres and offering about 250 booths, the 2019PLPEX will be joined by enterprises from eight Portuguese-speaking countries, together with agents of their products and services from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, involving food, drinks, e-commerce, information technology, daily necessities, handicrafts, construction materials, and sports products.

“China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Co-operation Retrospective Exhibition” to Debut

In order to reflect the achievements of Macao as a “Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, it was decided at the third meeting of the Committee for Development of the Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries held last year to set up a “China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Co-operation Retrospective Exhibition” at the 2019PLPEX. The exhibition will demonstrate the work carried out, completed, and planned by the Committee for Development of the Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries from 2016 to 2019 in line with a series of measures and action plans proposed by the Central Government during the “5^th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao)”.

Meanwhile, the “SME Service Corner for China and Portuguese Speaking Countries” will continue to be set up. In addition to that, activities available this year include the “Portuguese-speaking Countries Wine and Food Business Matching Seminar” and the “Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Tasting”, as well as agent trade fairs, promotional conferences, fashion show and singing performances of Portuguese-speaking countries, and handicrafts exposition. All of these activities aim to stimulate business opportunities and optimise the combination of “experience and matching”, and build a platform for Chinese enterprises and those from Portuguese-speaking countries to explore co-operation opportunities. During the event, professional forums and seminars will also be held, such as “The 5^th Young Entrepreneurs Forum of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, to explore ways to help traders from Portuguese-speaking countries seize development opportunities arising from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and nuture the development of Macao’s featured finance.

During the MIF and PLPEX, free and professional business matching services will be offered. Exhibitors can register on the “Online Business Matching Service Platform” (http://bm.ipim.gov.mo/) and search for suitable exhibitors/suppliers or buyers for co-operation. In the Business Matching Area at the event venue, a series of matching and procurement sessions will be available, where representatives of famous hotels, supermarkets, e-commerce traders, and enterprises that have settled in the Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Industrial Park will be invited, in an attempt to foster collaboration and create business opportunities.

Study Tours to Maximise Exhibition Efficacy

In addition, enterprises from Portuguese-speaking countries, domestic and foreign traders, and local companies will be organised to visit the some of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cities, including Zhuhai and Foshan and their local neighbourhoods. On one hand, it could boost local community economies. On the other hand, visits to local business associations and enterprises in the Greater Bay Area and inspections of local key projects are expected to help enterprises, especially those from Portuguese-speaking countries, to better understand the policies and development opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.

The two fairs will be open to trade visitors on 17 October 2019 and to the general public from 18 to 19 October 2019. Free shuttle buses travelling between the venue, North District, Central District, Taipa and different area in the city will be available to encourage green transport. Meanwhile, traders can register at https://mice.ipim.gov.mo for a “Macao MICE Pass” and enjoy unlimited access to Macao’s four major exhibition events (MIF, MIECF, MFE and PLPEX).

A press conference is held today (15 October) for “The 24th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair” (24th MIF) and “2019 Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao)” (2019PLPEX)