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The Chief Executive Chui Sai On and guests in front of the Pavilion
The 17th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) hosted by IPIM under the theme of Co-operation – Key to Successful Opportunities was held from 18 to 21 October 2012 at the Macao Venetian-Resort-Hotel. 103,899 visitors were recorded during the four-day event, a 9.23% increase as compared to the previous year. There was a continuous flow of business visitors, the general public and tourists engaged in exhibition, business negotiation and procurement. The proportion of business visitors had increased and completed 1,847 business matching sessions, an increase of 22.9% year on year. A total of 88 co-operation agreements were signed, showing a rise of 8.64%. The organiser has also held 47 forums, conferences and seminars with over 6,800 participants. This year’s MIF was participated by over 330 delegations from more than 50 countries and regions.
The opening ceremony was officiated over by Chui Sai On, the Chief Executive, Zhou Bo, Deputy Director of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Gao Yan, Deputy Director General of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Feng Tie, Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Kenneth Viagem Marizane, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade, Mozambique, António Almeida Henriques, Secretary of State Assistant to the Minister and of Economy and Regional Development, Portugal, Veneranda M. Lemos Martines, Secretary of State for Support and Promotion of the Private Sector, East Timor, Wong Rong, the standing member of CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and the Secretary of CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Bu Xiaolin, Vice-Chairman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People’s Government, Xu Ming, Vice Governor of the People’s Government of Jiangsu Province, Shi Dagang, Vice Chairman of the People’s Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Tam Pak Yuen, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR and Jackson Chang, President of IPIM, etc.
This year’s MIF was enriched with various activities to promote trade and investment co-operation, working in line with Macao’s development as a regional trade and business service platform and the world-class tourism and leisure centre.
ENHANCED INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE
The exhibition area covered a total of 30,000 square metres, with over 1,800 exhibition booths, a year-on-year increase of 9%. There were over 700 exhibitors participating this year with active support by Mainland and overseas organisers. In particular, countries like Cyprus, Jordan and Madagascar took part in MIF for the first time. This year, more cities were covered by the “convention and exhibition through train service” and an increasing number of trade visitors registered to participate, showing that MIF is becoming more influential in the targeted markets over the years.
The professional or themed pavilions set up in the MIF this year have more diverse contents. In addition to the setting up of a number of themed pavilions, namely the Macao Pavilion, Macao Manufactures and Trades Pavilion, Macao–Ideal Place to Live, International Brands Pavilion, International SME Exhibition and Sales Area and Digital Imaging and Photography Equipment Pavilion, new exhibition areas were also set up for international cultural and artistic performances, packaging design, arts and crafts, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao convention and exhibition, and Shenzhen Cultural Industries Fair. The Macao Fashion Festival 2012 jointly organised by Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre and Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute was well-received by business visitors from various countries and regions.
FURTHER ENHANCED THE ROLE AS THE PLATFORM TO PROMOTE CO-OPERATION WITH PORTUGUESE-SPEAKING COUNTRIES
The MIF this year further advanced the Macao’s function as a platform for co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and provided more business opportunities. The Pavilion of Portugal occupied an area of almost 500 square metres which was the largest pavilion ever. Apart from arranging for more Portuguese enterprises to showcase their products at MIF, the organisers hoped that by means of the MIF platform, they could reinforce the economic and trade exchanges between China and Portugal, in order to promote the new investment policies and co-operation projects. Various economic and trade activities were organised including the 2nd Jiangsu-Macau-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Business Forum, Portuguese-Speaking Countries, Fujian and Macao Economic Exchange Networking Cocktail Reception and the Brazil’s Investment Environment and Business Opportunities provided by 2014 FIFA World Cup & 2016 Rio Olympics Games were organised. The events highlighted co-operation and interaction between China, Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries, and promoted multilateral trade and investment.
SHENZHEN CULTURAL INDUSTRIES FAIR AND THE ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL PERFORMANCES PAVILION DEBUT IN MIF
The Shenzhen Cultural Industrial Fair, the only comprehensive cultural industries fair in China accredited by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), made its debut in MIF this year with cultural and creative related forums, seminars and networking cocktails. This year’s MIF was also a networking platform for cultural and creative industry, an Artistic and Cultural Performance Pavilion was set up coving nearly 700 square metres, with participating enterprises bringing different kinds of distinctive cultural and artistic performances projects for onsite promotion. The organiser also invited prominent hotels in Macao, overseas major entertainment enterprises performances buyers and professional buyers to watch and purchase the shows.
FORUMS AND CONFERENCES TO SHOULDER THE THEME OF MAJOR INVESTMENT
A total of 47 forums, conferences and promotion seminars were held this year. The organiser arranged as usual high-level forums and conference series which included the International Trade and Investment Forum 2012, the 9th World Summit of Chinese Entrepreneurs and the Seminar on EU-Macao Business Opportunities. Ministerial level government officials from Portuguese-speaking countries, Mainland China and Macao, senior management of chambers of commerce worldwide were invited to give speeches and exchange ideas on issues such as international economy and trade, regional economic development, cross-country and cross-region co-operation, and make better use of the role of Macao as an economic and trade service platform.
MULTIPLE MEASURES TO HELP SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES TO EXPAND MARKET AND FIND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
MIF organised once again the SME International Business Days and series of events including presentations on investment environment, business services, business matching sessions, as well as SME business consultancy service. It enabled SMEs to make full use of the e-commerce service platform, as well as the franchising and brand distributorship activities provided by MIF, to conduct business negotiations and explore new markets with entrepreneurs and trade visitors from around the world. This year’s MIF also set up the Macao SME Exhibition and Sales Area and launched a series of professional services and incentive plans for trade visitors in order to enhance the support for local SMEs. Various themed national or regional exhibition and sales areas were introduced or enhanced this year including the pavilions of Mozambique, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
BUSINESS MATCHING SERIES ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE THE FUNCTION OF BUSINESS AND TRADE SERVICE PLATFORM
The Organiser provided a series of free business matching services and set up a hotel purchasing area. By logging onto the online business matching service platform, trade visitors could get connected with our business matching officers to arrange pre-matching, and participate in business matching, professional presentations and networking cocktail reception which serve to promote successful business co-operation for enterprises.
During the four-day event, a total of 88 projects were signed showing an 8.64% increase year-on-year, including 24 contracts, 42 agreements, 10 letter of intent and 12 memoranda. The projects involved tourism, cultural and creative, convention and exhibition, information technology, education, manufacturing, real estates, catering, trade and business, environmental protection, agent for products, agricultural co-operation, brand and product specialty shops, and food processing industries, as well as friendly co-operation between the government and chambers of commerce. Signatory parties include enterprises from Macao (45.39% with 80% as SMES), Mainland China (38.16%), Hong Kong (5.26%), Portuguese-speaking countries (3.95%), Taiwan (1.32%), Malaysia (3.29%), Korea (0.66%), the Philippines (1.32%) and the United States (0.66%).
SURVEY OPINION ON 17TH MIF
The Organiser continued to enlist the University of Macau’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities to conduct a survey during the event. Among the 2,488 completed questionnaires, 802 were from business participants, 506 from exhibitors, 998 from the general public and 182 for VIPs. Regarding the interviewees, 40.47% were from Macao, others from Mainland China (37.03%), Hong Kong (8.88%) and the remaining 13.62% were from over twenty countries and regions.
Data revealed that over 75% of interviewed business participants made favourable comments on Macao’s roles as a trade and business service platform in regional co-operation and in creating development opportunities in other regions and they generally agreed that the convention and exhibition industry is effective in promoting Macao’s economy. Among the interviewed exhibitors, 94.21% thought that MIF should encourage SMEs to organise on-site sales, 72.62% thought that MIF should be held concurrently with sales events in the same venue. Interviewed business participants and exhibitors were generally satisfied with the arrangement of this year’s MIF, among which, 49.4% had participated in last year’s Macao International Trade and Investment Fair, 53.9% said that this year’s Macao International Trade and Investment Fair was well-organised, 32.66% said that it’s the same as previous year. Among the general public interviewed, 30.54% said that Macao International Trade and Investment Fair should improve its advertising and promotion, 74.47% said that they would visit again next year. Interviewed VIPs commented favourably on Macao’s role as a regional co-operation service platform and a world tourism and leisure centre and creating developing opportunities for other regions.
The 18th MIF will be held from 17 to 20 October 2013.
