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You are here: Página InicialPublications Issue 72 – Oct. 2018 CONVENTIONS & EXHIBITIONS2018 PLPEX cements Macao’s role as platform for Portuguese-speaking Countries

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2018 PLPEX cements Macao’s role as platform for Portuguese-speaking Countries

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The 2018 Portuguese-speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao) (2018 PLPEX) and the 23rd Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (23rd MIF) were held concurrently from 18 to 20 October at the Venetian Macao.

PLPEX was first held in 2015 at the 20th MIF in the form of an “exhibition within an exhibition”. This year was the second time that PLPEX was held as an event in its own right and the total exhibition area has increased to 6,000 square metres.

For the first time, PLPEX introduced a new “Brazil Unmanned Shop Experience Zone” (Brazil Centre) as well as a Portuguese-speaking Countries Wine and Food Business-Matching Seminar to create a “new retail” co-operation model between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries with Macao as a Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

The Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce created the Brazil Centre for this year’s PLPEX and its Executive Director Bobby Chi said he was pleased to be joining the event for a second time. He said the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) has clearly devoted a great deal of resources toward organising PLPEX, and this is obvious by the participation of government officials and buyers from around the world.

Mr Chi said the Brazilian Chamber’s goal of showcasing more than 20 Brazilian brands and 200 kinds of products at PLPEX is to actually open an unmanned shop – dubbed Brazil Centre – in Macao in future. Once the Macao shop is successfully opened, Mainland China will be next, he added. Mr Chi looks forward to introducing quality Brazilian products to major cities across Mainland China through the Brazil Centre.

Another creative way to promote Brazilian products in China is through football and music. Brazil is very famous for its football, so Brazilian coaches and players can coach and train people in China. The samba is also a fun way to introduce Brazilian culture because it is so colourful and entertaining, he added.

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Executive Director of Brazil-China Chamber of Commerce, Bobby Chi

Enriched content

Beyond Brazil, an online-offline integrated approach was also introduced at PLPEX through the “Economic and Trade Co-operation and Human Resources Portal between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” to promote their culture and food. Companies from eight Portuguese-speaking Countries as well as representatives of products and services for Portuguese-speaking Countries from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao participated. They represented a cross-section of fields including food, construction materials, clothing, catering and e-commerce services.

Participants also had an opportunity to attend a number of professional forums and seminars during PLPEX such as the “Young Entrepreneurs Forum of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”. The host of this forum arranged for companies from Portuguese-speaking Countries to conduct “multi-destination” visits to Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to give entrepreneurs a better understanding of the policies as well as development opportunities across the region.

Super Bock, a popular Portuguese beer, has had its roots in Macao for over a decade. João Torres, Asia Director at Super Bock Group (formerly Unicer), said that his company exports products to more than 20 different countries worldwide, including all Portuguese-speaking Countries. While Super Bock entered the Macao market more than 25 years ago, the Macao company was officially established 10 years ago to offer better service to the Mainland market. Today, Mainland China accounts for up to 10 percent of the group’s business volume.

Mr Torres said since IPIM has been actively participating in MICE events held in Mainland China, by working closely with IPIM, Super Bock also takes part in MICE events with other companies.

Mr Torres said PLPEX is definitely a worthwhile event. As the global economic environment shifts and China becomes a larger economy, Macao’s platform role as a Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries has become even more important. Organising such events is important for Macao so that it can expand into trade, and promote moderate economic diversification, he added.

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Asia Director at Super Bock Group, João Torres