Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng is leading a Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government delegation and a Macao entrepreneur delegation to Portugal from 18 to 22 April, proceeding to visit Luxembourg and Belgium.
Portugal is the first overseas country to be visited by members of the current-term MSAR Government, which attaches great importance to friendly relations between Macao and Portugal, as well as to Macao’s undertaking to enable exchange and cooperation between China and Portugal, Ho told the press before departing.
During the meeting with the press, Mr Ho said his visit to Portugal was about grasping fresh opportunities, with an aim to advance Macao’s role in serving as a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and to further Macao’s appropriate economic diversification.
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In Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, Ho will meet with the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; the Prime Minister, António Costa; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He will also meet officials from the Chinese Embassy in Portugal.
In addition, the MSAR Government is to hold in Lisbon an economic, trade, and tourism promotion session, in order to provide fresh insights on the latest developments in Macao, and the new opportunities available in the MSAR and in the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, while also facilitating Macao-Portugal cooperation in the economic, trade, and tourism fields.
In order to promote new developments in terms of economic, trade, and tourism cooperation, and provide more opportunities for Macao businesses, the MSAR Government had specially arranged for a delegation of Macao entrepreneurs to visit Portugal, for business-matching purposes; to hold a Macao-Portugal investment and tourism presentation at a seminar; and to take part in other activities.
Macao was pressing ahead with its strategic positioning as “One centre, one platform, one base”, while pragmatically engaging with the “Belt and Road” initiative, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ho said.
This year marked the 10th anniversary of the the “Belt and Road” initiative’s promulgation, and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao).
The MSAR Government would make full use of the opportunities presented by the visit to Europe, to promote Macao’s role in supporting development of the “Belt and Road” initiative, and to explain Macao’s bridging functions for business and trade cooperation serving China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, said Ho.
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The Chief Executive additionally said that taking into account Portugal’s advantages in medicine, high and new technologies, and the maritime economy, it was hoped there would be further strengthening of the two sides’ ties in economic, trade, and scientific innovation matters, as well as in healthcare, and in cultural affairs.
There was hope that additional enterprises from Portuguese-speaking countries would be attracted to set up base in the Greater Bay Area and the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, in order to explore opportunities in the Chinese mainland market.
It was hoped that the visit to Portugal would also advance cooperation beneficial to Macao’s “1+4” approach for appropriate economic diversification, namely to enrich Macao’s role as “One Centre” for integrated tourism and leisure, while promoting development of four nascent industries, i.e., “Big Health”; modern financial services; high and new technology; and convention and exhibition, sports, and the commercial and trade sectors.
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In Luxembourg, the MSAR Government delegation will meet with the Prime Minister. In Belgium, it will meet with the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy and Employment, and also with officials of the European Union (EU). In both countries, the Macao delegation will meet officials from the respective Chinese embassies.
All the meetings will discuss how to facilitate exchange between Macao and EU member states in the areas of economic, trade, finance, technology, and tourism matters, and regarding easing of travel.
Ho said Macao needed to draw on the successful experience of Luxembourg and Belgium in terms of their economic development, namely in the fields of finance, technological innovation, and infrastructure. These would help Macao to foster its effort for appropriate economic diversification, and strengthen the city’s exchanges with the two countries, creating new prospects in economic and trade matters, in finance, and in other fields.
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Members of the MSAR Government delegation include: the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Lei Wai Nong; the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Raimundo do Rosário; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Hoi Lai Fong; the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Ms Ku Mei Leng; and other director-level officials.
The delegation´s return to Macao is planned for April 27.
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