The Portuguese Speaking Countries Community Business Confederation (CE-CPLP) named renowned businessman Wu Zhiwei as its first special representative to China, establishing a permanent office in Macau.
After various consultations and recent visit of the CE-CPLP Executive Commission delegation headed by its President to the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Portugal, Zhao Bentang, Macau businessman and Vice-President of the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCILC), Wu Zhiwei, took office at a Summer event of CE-CPLP on August 3rd.
The naming of Wu, who is also Vice-President of PORCHAM Greater China, the first Portuguese Chamber established in mainland China, aims to fully anticipate the official ceremonies and business meetings of the Macau Forum, due to its 20th anniversary of its foundation this year.
The new link, CE-CPLP sources told CLBrief.com, will deepen the cooperation between the growing importance cooperation between the Portuguese Speaking Countries and China.
Wu stressed in his speech that “the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is the most open and economically dynamic in China”.
“Regionally, Macao is one of the cores of the Greater Bay Area. Macao has the positioning of a centre, a platform, and a base. Enterprises from Portuguese-speaking countries can take advantage of Macao’s unique platform to go out, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hengqin, Guangdong-Macao depth”, Wu said.
Chinese Embassy in Portugal Strengthens Ties With Lusophone and Macao Business Leaders
“The cooperation zone is interconnected, promoting economic and trade cooperation, and sharing new opportunities, and working together for mutual benefit and win-win results”, he added.
Wu, who is best known in Portugal as the investor in Quinta da Marmeleira winery, underlined that as the special representative of CE-CPLP to China, he “will continue to play the bridging role and link between enterprises of the Portuguese-Speaking Countries and China and strive to assist enterprises in mainland China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries to find partners, and to promote business cooperation between Portuguese-speaking countries and China to contribute to our common development”.
This strategic shift was publicly announced by the President of CE-CPLP, Nelma Pontes Fernandes, during her inaugural and first official visit to Macau SAR with meetings with the Chief Executive of Macau SAR Government, Ho Iat Seng, the Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese Speaking Countries (Macau Forum), Ji Xianzheng, among other officials.
Chinese ambassador in Portugal visits Quinta da Marmeleira winery
CE-CPLP is the only business organization mandated by all CPLP Member States to develop the fourth pillar of the CPLP which is the economic and business pillar.
At the event in Portugal, Nelma Fernandes said that “CE-CPLP´s goal is to work for the socio-economic development of the Member States and for this reason we cannot neglect the support for internationalization in third markets, as is the unavoidable case that represents the world power that is China”.
The new CE-CPLP leadership is betting on cooperation with markets outside the CPLP and at the same time. For common historical reasons, China, via Macau, is considered a priority. Vitório Cardoso as Vice-President of the Executive Commission of CE-CPLP, is responsible for coordinating the approximation and cooperation with the Chinese market and official institutions through the permanent delegate of CE-CPLP to China.
(Photos: Nuno Mousinho, CE-CPLP)
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