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Macao Promotes the Construction of “China-PSCs Platform” with its Unique Advantages
Due to the history, Macao has been maintaining a close relation with eight Portuguese-speaking Countries, namely Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé und Príncipe and Timor Leste, which are across four continents (European, Asia, Africa, Latin America) and with a population of 260 million. With the advantages of an open and free economic system, the integration of Chinese and Western cultures, Macao gives full play to its role as a “Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” (hereafter referred to as “China-PSCs Platform”).
China has stated clearly both in the 12th and 13th Five-Year Development Plans to support the construction of the China-PSCs Platform in Macao. In 2003, the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (hereafter referred to as “Forum Macao”) was launched as a result of an initiative by China’s Central Government. Forum Macao is a multilateral, intergovernmental co-operation mechanism aimed at promoting economic and trade exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, by using Macao as a connecting platform between the two sides, so as to achieve the common development of Mainland China, Portuguese-speaking Countries and Macao. By 2016, five editions of the “Forum Macao Ministerial Conferences” have been held in Macao. The Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao was also set up in Macao. With the joint efforts of all member states, the economic and trade relations between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries have developed steadily over the years, with the scope of co-operation continuously expanding and the level of co-operation enhancing. Such growth is paving the way for a new model for economic and trade co-operation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries.
In order to promote the construction of the China-PSCs Platform, during the 4th Forum Macao Ministerial Conference in 2013, China’s Central Government declared to support Macao to construct the “Three Centres”, namely the “Distribution Centre for Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Food Products” and the “Convention and Exhibition Centre for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” and the “Business and Trade Service Centre for the SMEs in China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”. Through orderly implementing relevant construction through online and offline services, the “Three Centres” provide strong support to enterprises and investors from China and Portuguese-speaking Countries in developing business co-operation.
Portuguese-speaking Countries Pavilion at MIF
PLPEX is the exhibition that presents products only from Portuguese-speaking Countries
“Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre” is located at
“Entrepreneurs Meeting for Commercial and Economic Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” takes place each year in rotation in eight Portuguese-speaking Countries
“Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre” in Macao showcases food products from eight Portuguese-speaking Countries
IPIM provides a series of services to support the “Three Centres”
Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) provides a series of online, offline services to orderly implement the construction of the “Three Centres” to ensure Macao’s role as China-PSCs Platform, namely the “Distribution Centre for Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Food Products” and the “Convention and Exhibition Centre for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” and the “Business and Trade Service Centre for the SMEs in China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”.
With regard to the “Convention and Exhibition Centre for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, IPIM works closely with enterprises from Portuguese-speaking Countries to participate in MICE events in Macao and Mainland China, such as “Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition (MIECF)”, “Macao International Trade And Investment Fair” (MIF), “Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition” (PLPEX), “International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum”, “Summit on Chinese Central SOEs Supporting Macao as Co-operation Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, “China International Import Expo” and “China International Fair for Investment & Trade”, etc.
On the other hand, among the major on economic and trade fains in Macao, more elements of Portuguese-speaking Countries are added. For instance, MIF has invited one Portuguese-speaking Country and one Chinese province to be its partner country and partner province each year since 2016, enhancing the exchange of economic and trade co-operation between the Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. In addition, the PLPEX, an exhibition presenting products only from Portuguese-speaking Countries, has been held concurrently with MIF since 2017.
In terms of “Business and Trade Service Centre for the SMEs in China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, IPIM regularly organises study mission to Portuguese-speaking Countries, such as organising Macao entrepreneurs’ delegation to participate in “Entrepreneurs Meeting for Commercial and Economic Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” since 2015, which takes place in rotation among eight Portuguese-speaking Countries. Moreover, IPIM has continued to organise representatives of PSC enterprises to conduct inspection tours to different cities in Mainland China. IPIM has also provided “China-PSCs Business Compass” services with a series of support services for enterprises and institutions interested in developing the market of Mainland and Portuguese-speaking Countries, including providing business consultation and referral, and assistance in administrative procedures to launch a company in Macao, business networking and matching, support for publicity and promotion as well as office facilities, so as to enable enterprises and institutions to grow smoothly.
As of the end of June, 2020, IPIM has handled a total of 456 cases related to economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, involving 214 enterprises and institutions, whose business scope covers trade, finance, and construction industry. Among them, a total of 102 cases of trade or co-operation have achieved success with the support of IPIM’s services.
In terms of “Distribution Centre for Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Food Products”, IPIM has been making both online and offline efforts to promote the development of Macao’s role as the “Distribution Centre for Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Food Products”. Regarding online promotion, the “Economic & Trade and Human Resources Portal between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” was launched to provide the latest information of MICE events in China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, economic and trade information, commercial laws and regulations in Portuguese-speaking Countries and other information, as well as Chinese and Portuguese Bilingual Personnel Database, Professional Services Providers Database and Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Database, building an online platform to enhance economic and trade co-operation and exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. As to offline promotion, the “Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre” was set up in Macao to showcase over 1,600 food products originating from eight Portuguese-speaking Countries, and until now six Portuguese-speaking Countries food products exhibition sites have been set up.
In addition, IPIM organises various events on a regular basis to promote products from Portuguese-speaking Countries and conduct business opportunity matching in different provinces, cities and regions of China, including cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In Macao, “Let’s Hang Out – Lusophone and Macao Products Bazaar” is held twice a year since 2018 in various local communities, promoting high-quality products and culture of Portuguese-speaking Countries through bazaars, song and dance performances, cooking demonstrations of Portuguese-speaking Countries cuisine and handcraft workshops.
The above-mentioned measures have contributed considerably to Macao’s role as “China-PSCs Platform”. It is also worth mentioning that Macao has unique advantages in terms of Chinese-Portuguese translation, legal services, accounting, business consultation and matching. At the same time, under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, Macao has long been closely connected to the Chinese Mainland market, which can help enterprises from Portuguese-speaking Countries to invest or expand markets in Macao and Mainland China.
“Let’s Hang Out – Lusophone and Macao Products Bazaar”
