The Portuguese-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCILC) has loudly rejected a new Portugal-China trade association focused on small and medium-size enterprises (CCPC-PME). In a statement, CCILC calls the new association “untransparent”, and says its chairman, Y Ping Chow, president of the League of Chinese in Portugal, has unfruitfuly announced the creation of numerous other institutions in the field.
In the statement, the CCILC board rejects the creation of CCPC-PME, as it had already formally transmitted to the promoter in the past “when creating another Chamber of Commerce, also linked to the Portugal-China universe, for intending to create an obvious confusion with the use of the designation Chamber of Commerce, an alleged alternative platform to the original (CCILC) that does not have a public utility status”.
“In recent years, the promoter of the announced Chamber, founded several similar entities, always adapted to the particular needs of the moment, namely: the Chinese Industrial and Commercial Association, the Association for the Promotion of Peace and One China, the consortium PTCN – PortugalChina Business Mission, the Portugal-Guizhou Chamber of Commerce, the Portugal China Cooperation and Development Chamber or the Portugal Chamber of Commerce in China, formally presented during a State visit, but never legally constituted”, CCILC adds.
While open and supportive to all entities that gravitate in this universe of bilateral relations, CCILC distances itself from “situations that seem less transparent as an alternative Chamber of Commerce”.
Founded in 1978, CCILC has an office in Macau since 1992. It has been linked to the signing of the first Portugal-China trade agreement in 1980 and the most recent operations of investment. It currently has 300 active members. In its statement, CCILC underlines it has established cooperation with most of “the profusion of associations, chambers of commerce, foundations and institutes created between Portugal and China”.
CCILC is currently chaired by EDP, and its governing bodies include the most important industrial and financial groups in the bilateral context (Haitong Bank, REN / State Grid, Huawei, China Three Gorges, TAP Air Portugal, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Fidelidade/ Fosun, Millennium BCP, Estoril Sol, Novo Banco). It has among its vice-presidents businessman Wu Zhiwei, from Tin Min Jade Macau.
CCPC-PME´s strategic council is chaired by Bian Fang, chairman of the board of directors of the Bison Bank, a Chinese-owned financial entity operating in Portugal, according to a statement. Also involved in CCPC-PME are Portuguese former Secretary of State for Internationalization Jorge Costa Oliveira, along with former adviser to the President of the Republic, Jorge Portugal, and members of parliament António Gameiro and José Cesário.
