The Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) held a special meeting in Beijing on September 8.

The Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Ms Xu Yingzhen, led at the meeting a delegation comprising several members of the Permanent Secretariat. The gathering was also attended by: Representatives from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China; the respective Ambassadors to China of the Portuguese-speaking Countries; the Focal Points of the Portuguese-speaking Countries; and Representatives from the Macao SAR Government.

During the meeting, the new Coordinator of the Support Office, Ms Teresa Mok; the new Representative of Cape Verde, Mr Nuno Miguel Melo Furtado; and the Representative of São Tomé and Príncipe, Mr Gualter Sousa Pontes da Vera Cruz – the country’s first representative to Forum Macao – were officially introduced to those present.

The meeting participants discussed the work of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao in the first half of 2017, as well as major events and plans for the second half of the year. An assessment of Forum Macao’s achievements and prospects – to mark the 15th anniversary of its establishment – was discussed in the meeting.

The Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao outlined all the activities completed in the first half of 2017, as set in its annual work plan, and in accordance with the principles set out in the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao. To achieve those goals, Forum Macao had benefited from the assistance of Governments from the several countries participating in Forum Macao, and from the strong support of the MSAR Government.

First-half 2017 activities included: the 12th Ordinary Meeting of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao; establishment of an industrial cooperation taskforce and the calling of the group’s first meeting; establishment of a database on industrial capacity cooperation; visits to Mozambique, Cape Verde and Portugal; visits to Nanjing and Changzhou in China’s Jiangsu Province; organisation of the “Seminar on Capacity Production and Finance Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”; and the setting up of promotional pavilions at major exhibitions in Mainland China and Macao.

Regarding promotion of cooperation in the field of human resources, Forum Macao organised two workshops and an internship programme for representatives from Portuguese-speaking Countries. These activities were attended by an aggregate of 60 participants. Forum Macao also organised several exchange sessions and site tours – as well as welcoming visiting delegations to its headquarters – in order to strengthen and widen its exchanges with institutions and corporations.

The Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao was one of the joint organisers of the “Seminar on RMB Cross-border Transactions for Portuguese-speaking Countries”. It also joined the Dynamic Macao Business and Trade Fair series, the 2017 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition, and the Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo.

Between September 4 and 7, during her stay in Beijing, Secretary-General Ms Xu visited some of the Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Embassies in the Chinese capital. The aim was to present the latest developments related to Forum Macao and to exchange views with representatives from Portuguese-speaking Countries on several topics, including the enhancement of Macao’s role as a trade and services platform.