China Council for the Promotion of International Trade President Gao Yan has called for Macao to intensify its effort to serve as a place where China and the Portuguese-speaking world do business, the  Macao SAR Government says.

The government issued a written statement quoting Ms Gao as telling the 2021 Mainland-Macao Business Associations Joint Conference, on Wednesday, that more intense effort will give impetus to the Chinese Belt and Road initiative.

The statement quotes Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute President Lau Wai Meng as saying that among the key tasks of the institute is to expand the function Macao serves to fulfil the potential for trade between China and lusophone countries.

Greater exchanges by trading enterprises in Macao and lusophone countries will make the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area more open to the outside world, the official statement quotes Macao Chamber of Commerce Vice-president Vong Kok Seng as saying.