Macao Lawyers Association President Jorge Neto Valente has said he wants businesses to avail of commercial arbitration in the city, particularly businesses in the Portuguese-speaking world and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Macao government says.

The Legal Affairs Bureau issued a written statement quoting Mr Neto Valente as calling for more advertising abroad of the advantages of the new arbitration law in Macao.

The statement released on Friday says Mr Neto Valente was speaking to a meeting of representatives of arbitration institutions in the city held on Tuesday.

Legal Affairs Bureau Director Liu Dexue promised the meeting he would promote arbitration and the training of mediators so Macao could become a centre for commercial arbitration among businesses in China and the lusophone world, the official statement says.