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Following the improvement of Macao’s investment environment, especially the advantageous factors brought about by the liberalisation of the Gaming Industry, increasing numbers of foreign investors, are propelling the expansion and enlarging the scope and scale of new businesses bringing about a vigorous investment market atmosphere.
Under the development and implementation of CEPA and the Pan Pearl River Delta Co-operation, Macao’s role as a regional business and trade service platform has grown so much that it can fulfil it’s function of assisting overseas SMEs that wish to gain access to the Mainland while supporting Mainland’s SMEs and privately operated enterprises to spread.
THE ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF “MACAO BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTRE”
The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute’s objective is to promote the territory’s trade and investment activities. While attracting foreign investment and promoting the use of Macao’s business platforms, IPIM also assists in the development of local SMEs. In August 2002, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute in collaboration with related industry and commerce departments established the "Macao Business Support Centre" (Centre hereinafter) to provide free office cubicles and a series of related services, enabling foreign investors to become familiar with Macao's business environment and the relevant administrative procedures in a relatively short time, reducing their initial start up costs, as well as acting a channel for exchanges between local and foreign enterprises.
Since it’s inauguration, the Centre has already received over 400 applications for the use of the cubicles from around the globe, namely Mainland China, Europe, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Taiwan and the United States of America and from various industries, mainly Information and Technology, Biotechnology, Design, Cosmetics, Pharmaceuticals, Non-Staple Food Production, Financial Consultancy and Mechanical Products. The cubicle users have to set up a company in Macao or be in the process of starting procedures for commercial registration. According to the existing rules, the investors/enterprises may apply to use the cubicle and facilities for four months but it is possible to apply to extend for a further two months, approved validated overseas governmental departments or trade and promotion organisations may use them for a year. Moreover, the Centre also provides services for those that register to use its services. Successful applicants may use many of the facilities and services offered in the Centre such as information rooms. To date the Centre already has more than 1,000 enterprises as registered users.
Macao Economic Services set up a “CEPA Information Centre” and “Gabinete de Plano de Apoios Pequenas e Medias Empresas” in the Centre to assist local enterprises in their applications for the CEPA certificate and related matters. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade has also set up a Hong Kong and Macao Representative Office to help boost business ties between Mainland enterprises and Hong Kong and Macao manufacturers, so as to promote external trade; recommend trade and investment promotion projects from Mainland China; to provide Hong Kong and Macao manufacturers with an enquiry service on Mainland trade investment policies and information, as well as legal enquiries about trade and investment disputes on the Mainland.
Meanwhile, along with the development of Macao’s business and service platforms, the Chongqing-Macao Economic Promotion Association (Macao Office), the International Lusophone Markets Business Association, the World Federation of Chinese Entrepreneurs Organisation, the Luso-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry opened offices in the Centre, providing local and foreign enterprises and members of related trade promotion organisations with more ties and options to build networks. Recently, the Australian Trade Commission and German – Macau Business Association have also set up offices in the Centre for foreign and local enterprises to become acquainted with their trade and promotion channels, proved information on different markets so as to enable them to look for partnerships and clients.
The Centre has been in operation for three years and, the number of enterprises and association/organisations that are ensconced in cubicles is increasing, as are the number of enquiries and meetings.
MACAO BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTRE EXPANSION
In order to provide a more comprehensive service for enterprises, not only by reducing the initial start up costs and risks for the enterprises, using the cubicles, but also to assist the SMEs using the Centre’s facilities and services to look for co-operation partners, business matching and to promote their services and products, Macao Business Support Centre is aiming to strengthen its function of being a support base for SMEs by promoting business and service platforms to all that enrol. To do this Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute expanded the Centre, from its present 2,000 square metres to 4,000. The expansion works were completed in early October, 2005. On October 4th, a “Briefing Session on the New Services of MBSC” was held together with a ceremony to award souvenir pedestals to the sponsoring institutions of the 10th MIF, which were the following: Creation Limited, Macao Expo Group Ltd, Multinational Holdings Group, Seng Heng Bank Ltd, Skyworth (Group) Co. Ltd, Siemens, Sun Kian Ip Group, TurboJET, Value Convergence Financial Group and Venetian Macau Limited.
Now all the facilities have been vastly improved and are more specific. The target customer has been widened from only overseas enterprises to include Mainland China and local enterprises, in particular a more diversified service for SMEs. The Macao Trade and Promotion Institute is going to re-organise the provided services, in particular strengthen worldwide business opportunities information so as to be able to better act as a service platform for SMEs.
The 19th floor serves as an Enterprise Service Centre and the 20th floor is for representative offices of overseas chambers of commerce/ associations/organisations/entities, which targets foreign and local enterprises. At present, seven chambers of commerce/associations/organisations have already set up representative offices. Since more and more overseas chambers of commerce/associations/organisations are interested in moving in, the Centre has reserved more offices for the future use of these regional and worldwide organisations.
CENTRE’S FACILITIES
Modern small office spaces for SMEs: Each office is equipped with basic office equipment like desk, office chair, visitor’s chair, filing cabinet and telephone.
Multi-function Room: After the expansion, the multi-function room can accommodate more than 200 people and can hold various events like high level meetings, seminars and exhibitions.
Meeting Room and Briefing Room: Centre’s meeting rooms have been extended from four rooms that can hold five people to three rooms that can accommodate six people and two that can accommodate 12, it is now possible to conduct all types of small and medium sized meetings and briefings.
Small-scale exhibition and display area: In order to provide a complete set of facilities for cubicle users and representative offices, the Centre has reserved an area for local and foreign enterprises to promote their products and services and encourages these countries or regions trade promotion organisations/chambers/enterprises to develop business opportunities by using this facility.
Computer, Internet and Information Room: Equipped with computers and printers and broadband wireless internet access; Macao statistical information, government regulations, industry and company information and flyers.
DIVERSIFIED SERVICES FOR SMES
“SME Service Corner”. In order to provide the required services for cubicle users, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute will integrate all its existing services, such as participation in Fairs, delegation participation, the Trade and Information Newsletter and assistance in investment in to an SME’ Service Corner”.
A China Business Advisory Service for local and foreign enterprises. In order to assist foreign and local enterprises to take advantage of the CEPA opportunities and to develop the Mainland market, the Centre provides a China business advisory service, by connecting the related departments/entities to follow up Macao enterprises’ investment co-operations on the Mainland, while assisting local enterprises especially SMEs and foreign enterprises that wish to develop the Mainland market through Macao.
Platform for the establishment of relations, enterprise connections and Co-operation. The Centre not only provides space for the holding of different kinds of business meetings, seminars, enterprise business matching and exhibitions, it actively supports and co-operates with regional organisations to set up representative offices, to provide even more foreign relations and co-operation channels for enterprises, by organising seminars, business matching sessions and exhibitions to build on the connections and co-operation that have been established.
Comprehensive service: Assistance for cubicle users, general administrative and application procedures; auxiliary recruitment services; telephone operator, message service and facsimile service among others.
The procedures to register to use the Centre are very simple. You only need to download the form from our website and after filling it in, return it to the Centre. Please visit Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute’s website www.ipim.gov.mo for more detailed information or contact:
Enquiry hotline: (853) 728212
Fax: (853) 727123
E-mail: mbsc@ipim.gov.mo
Address: Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpcao No. 263, China Civil Plaza Bldg,
19th and 20th floors, Macao
This article was prepared by IPIM’s Research and Information Division
