On the morning of October 20, the “Zhejiang-Macao-Portuguese Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Co-operation and Exchange Conference”, organized by the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province and supported by the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, took place in the Naples Meeting Room of The Venetian Macao. The Vice Governor of the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, Lu Shan, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, Lei Wai Nong, and Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Ji Xianzheng, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

Vice Governor Lu Shan said that Zhejiang has maintained a high level of opening-up that is institution-based, and is willing to continue to work with Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs) to promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, improve the connectivity of infrastructure and industrial capacity cooperation and develop cooperation in the fields of green trade, energy conservation and environmental protection, so as to create new areas of growth, make the economic pie bigger, and enable development achievements to better benefit the people. He encouraged entrepreneurs from Zhejiang to reinforce exchanges and cooperation with all types of innovative and entrepreneurial entities from Macao and PSCs to push forward the promotion, application and industrialization of innovative achievements and research projects in Zhejiang. He also expressed his belief that with the joint efforts of Zhejiang, Macao and PSCs, the trilateral beneficial cooperation will make greater achievements and yield more fruits.

Secretary Lei Wai Nong said that building the “Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” is an important measure necessary for Macao to serve the country with its own strengths. On the basis of close cooperation in the past, he noted that Macao will continue to work hand-in-hand with Zhejiang and other sister provinces and cities, as well as PSCs, taking advantage of the opportunities from the construction of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, to further promote connectivity between domestic and overseas markets, foster new areas of economic growth and support the country in fostering a new pattern of development that is focused on the domestic economy and features positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows.

Secretary-General Ji Xianzheng said that the establishment of Forum Macao has ushered in a new pattern that uses language as the bond to promote cross-regional cooperation, adding that the areas of cooperation between China and PSCs have increased from 7 at the founding of Forum Macao to nearly 20. He noted that Macao as a “Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” has played an extraordinary role in promoting economic and trade cooperation between China and PSCs. He mentioned that during the Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of Forum Macao held this year, Premier Li Keqiang and the leaders of PSCs indicated the direction of development for future cooperation. He also noted that the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao will fully implement the consensus reached between the leaders and ministers of the member countries to promote exchanges and cooperation between Forum Macao and different sectors in the fields of economy, trade and culture, with a focus on the three sectors of pandemic prevention, economic recovery and the role of Macao as a platform. He sincerely welcomed public institutions and enterprises from Zhejiang to participate in the work of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao.

During the conference, representatives of PSCs to the Permanent Secretariat held exchanges with the participants.

On the afternoon of October 21, the delegation led by Vice Governor Lu Shan visited the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao. Secretary-General Ji Xianzheng exchanged in-depth thoughts with Vice Governor Lu Shan on how to promote economic and trade cooperation between Zhejiang, Macao and PSCs, and together with the delegation visited the Pavilion of China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform.