Committee for Development of the Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Holds the Fourth Meeting

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

The Committee for Development of the Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries held its fourth plenary meeting on 5 August. The meeting was headed by the Committee’s Chairman, the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR 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 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 20th 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. Mr Chui pinned 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.

The Committee Vice Chairman, the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Leong Vai Tac also spoke at the meeting. IPIM’s President Irene Va Kuan Lau; 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, 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 co-operation between China and PSCs, finance, economic and trade, education, culture and traditional Chinese medicine.