The 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) was successfully held on October 11 and 12, at the Macao East Asian Games Dome. The organiser – the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) – is also known as Forum Macao.

The main events of the Ministerial Conference included: the Opening Ceremony; the Launching Ceremony of the Service Platform Complex for Commercial Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; the Ministerial Conference; and the Entrepreneurs and Financiers Meeting.

A total of 1,000 guests attended the Opening Ceremony, including His Excellency the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Li Keqiang. In his opening speech, the Premier presented a new framework for the promotion of economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. He also highlighted Macao’s contributions to the national strategy “One country, two systems”, through its role as a co-operation platform.

Officials from the Participating Countries attending the Ministerial Conference expressed their appreciation for the excellent results achieved so far in the field of economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. They also expressed a common wish for Forum Macao to play a bigger role in such endeavours in the future, enhancing co-operation and promoting Macao as co-operation platform.

During the 5th Ministerial Conference, the related parties signed the “Strategic Plan for Economic and Trade Co-operation (2017-2019)” and a “Memorandum of Understanding for the Promotion of Co-operation on Production Capacity”.

The Inauguration Ceremony of the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Federation of Entrepreneurs was held during the Entrepreneurs and Financiers Meeting, and was attended by 900 guests. In the Entrepreneurs and Financiers Meeting, a total of 17 co-operation agreements were signed between representatives from China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, involving: the China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Co-operation and Development Fund; export and investment projects; and projects on fisheries and the processing of fresh food. In the afternoon of October 12, a business-matching session was held, with a total attendance of 200 business people. Approximately 100 business-matching activities, covering infrastructure, finance, energy, technology, agriculture and trade, were held.

The following were some of the highlights of the 5th Ministerial Conference:

1. High Level Meeting
His Excellency the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Li Keqiang, attended the Opening Ceremony, where he announced, on behalf of China’s Central Government, 18 new policies aimed at promoting economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. Forum Macao’s seven Portuguese-speaking Countries were represented by a total of four Prime Ministers and 14 Ministers, stressing the importance these governments attach to Forum Macao and Macao’s role as a co-operation platform.

2. Fruitful Results
During the Ministerial Conference, a number of multilateral and bilateral agreements was signed, bringing economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries to a new level. The new Strategic Plan for Economic and Trade Co-operation takes into account the initiative “One Belt, One Road,” and aims to increase the number of fields for co-operation. In this new Strategic Plan, fresh chapters were introduced, namely on: co-operation on production capacity; co-operation in the maritime sector; and co-operation between provinces and municipalities.

An effort was made to strengthen multifaceted co-operation, including in the fields of: trade; investment and business; infrastructure; finance; agriculture, forestry, fisheries and livestock; development; transportation and communications; and health.

The Memorandum of Understanding on the Promotion of Co-operation on Production Capacity covers six headings aimed at promoting new models for economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries that are members of Forum Macao. They are: general goals; principles; responsibilities; project planning; supportive policies; and follow-up mechanisms.

During the 5th Ministerial Conference, China signed a number of bilateral agreements with Portuguese-speaking Countries. It was the largest number of such agreements ever signed in a single edition of Forum Macao’s Ministerial Conference.

3. Pragmatic Measures
His Excellency the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Li Keqiang, announced 18 new policies aimed at promoting economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries that are members of Forum Macao. The policies cover five main areas: co-operation on production capacity; co-operation for development; people-to-people and cultural co-operation; co-operation in the maritime sector; and Macao’s role as a co-operation platform. The new measures include: providing Asian and African Portuguese-speaking Countries participating in Forum Macao with grants worth in aggregate 2 billion renminbi; providing Asian and African Portuguese-speaking Countries participating in Forum Macao with concessional loans worth in aggregate no less than 2 billion renminbi; writing off an aggregate of 500 million renminbi in due interest-free loans made to Asian and African Portuguese-speaking Countries participating in Forum Macao; and offering training opportunities to 2,000 individuals from Portuguese-speaking Countries participating in Forum Macao, as well as 2,500 Chinese Government scholarships per year to candidates from Portuguese-speaking Countries participating in Forum Macao.

These policies are aimed at deepening co-operation in existing and new areas, including: development promotion; people-to-people and cultural exchanges; production capacity; the maritime sector; and Macao’s role as co-operation platform. Such policies represent a landmark in Forum Macao’s multilateral co-operation mechanism, as they cover a wide range of fields.

4. To deepen further Macao’s role as a platform
The 5th Ministerial Conference aimed further to deepen the development of Macao as a trade and economic co-operation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. It reiterated the support given to Macao – based on its unique advantages – in order for Macao to contribute to the implementation of the principle “One country, two systems”. A total of 5 of the 18 new policies announced by China at the 5th Ministerial Meeting were aimed at supporting the development of Macao as a trade and economic co-operation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. Additionally, about one third of the content of the new Strategic Plan is related to providing direct support to Macao’s role as a co-operation platform. Measures mentioned include supporting Macao in the following: the establishment of a financial services platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; the construction of a Service Platform Complex for Commercial Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; the establishment in Macao of a base for education and training of staff bilingual in Chinese and Portuguese languages; and promoting traditional Chinese medicine co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, taking advantage of traditional Chinese medicine practice in Macao. These and other measures announced aim to encourage the development of a number of economic sectors considered key for Macao; to promote an adequate economic diversification of the city; and to build an harmonious society.

The measures announced and the results achieved at the 5th Ministerial Conference have been acknowledged by Portuguese-speaking Countries. Participants unanimously agreed that Forum Macao is able to provide opportunities for co-operation. The results achieved at the 5th Ministerial Conference are expected to deepen economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries and to promote common development and prosperity. Portuguese-speaking Countries that are members of Forum Macao have also pledged to deepen their contributions to Forum Macao, thus helping to implement the measures and goals agreed upon during the Ministerial Conference. Thaey also pledged to bring co-operation to a new level and to increase contributions for the development of Macao as a co-operation platform, as well as to continue to deepen bilateral and multilateral economic and trade relations.

The aim now is to strengthen close co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. This can be achieved: by following the principle of “uniting efforts towards co-operation, jointly building the platform, sharing the benefits of development”; by following the guidelines set by China’s new policies; and by adhering to the new Strategic Action Plan for Economic and Trade Co-operation. Other goals are to: follow up effectively on the results achieved in the 5th Ministerial Conference; to deepen Macao’s role as a co-operation platform; and to promote exchanges and co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.