The Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Mr Ji Xianzheng, had on February 8 a meeting with the Consul-General of Portugal in Macao and Hong Kong, Mr Paulo Cunha Alves.

Mr Cunha Alves welcomed Mr Ji, who recently took up office as Secretary-General. Mr Cunha Alves said that the Permanent Secretariat, under the framework of Forum Macao, had an important role in promoting Macao as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, while making the most of Macao’s unique advantages.

The Consul-General also said the Consulate would continue to support the work of the Permanent Secretariat, contributing to extending further the exchanges between all the parties involved in matters including culture, cooperation on commerce and trade, and support for the development of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Such efforts would advance the adequate diversification of Macao’s own economy and contribute to Forum Macao taking a larger role in promoting further economic and trade cooperation between Mainland China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries, Mr Cunha Alves added.

Secretary-General Mr Ji expressed his gratitude for the support given by Mr Cunha Alves to Forum Macao, and to the Permanent Secretariat. He hoped to continue to strengthen the communication and cooperation with the Portuguese Consulate, with the aim jointly to support Macao’s role as a Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. The Permanent Secretariat would continue to listen to opinions from all its members, in order for Forum Macao to enhance its role as a multilateral cooperation mechanism, and thus improve the exchanges between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries in various areas.