An exchange session between Portuguese-speaking Countries and Macao’s entrepreneurs took place on the morning of April 1, 2015. It was held at the Lotus Room on the 5th floor of Macao’s World Trade Center.

The activity was organised by the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), known as Forum Macao, and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM). It had also the support from the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce of China; and from the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR. The session additionally had co-ordination from the Macau Chinese Enterprises Association.

The 300 attendees included: a Delegation of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce; Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives in Beijing of Portuguese-speaking Countries and Focal Points of the Portuguese-speaking Countries. Other participants included: Delegates of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao; participants in the Seminar on Development of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) from Portuguese-speaking Countries (organised by the Training Centre of Forum Macao); representatives from the Macao SAR Government; representatives from some Chinese companies; and Macao entrepreneurs.

In the exchange session, Mr Wang Yong, Vice-President of the China-Africa Development Fund – more commonly known as the CAD Fund and with initial funding from the China Development Bank – made a brief presentation about the China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Co-operation and Development Fund. Additionally, the Delegates of the Portuguese-speaking Countries at the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao and other representatives from these countries briefed participants about the investment and business environment, co-operation projects, legislation, incentives and tax system in their respective countries.

Representatives of some Macao and Chinese companies also introduced to exchange session attendees their development and investment plans. Participants also had the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions at a business matching session.

The exchange organisers set up a business-matching corner dedicated to the 7 Portuguese-speaking Countries that are members of Forum Macao, allowing participants to explore business and market opportunities. At the same time, the organisers also made available a counter offering commercial services to SMEs from China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, where IPIM staff and Mr Wang Yi, a trade consultant from Guangdong Province serving as an advisor at IPIM, provided information on business opportunities in Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

The event successfully provided an opportunity for interaction, exchange and co-operation between Portuguese-speaking Countries and several companies from Macao and China. It allowed for the sharing of information about the investment environment in the different countries via presentations about new business opportunities, strengthening the exchange and communication, co-operation and promotion of potential projects.

The activity also contributed to extending mutually beneficial co-operation, promoting common development and creating more opportunities for collaboration between companies from Mainland China, the Portuguese-speaking Countries and Macao, particularly in relation to SMEs. The event also served to strengthened the role of Macao as a trade co-operation platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.