To further acomplish economic and trade promotion work within the framework of Forum Macao, strengthen the cooperation between the two sides on trade, investment, and production capacity, and make the most of Macao’s role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao and the Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce signed an Agreement on Strengthening Economic and Trade Cooperation in the Press Center of the Complex of Commerce and Trade Cooperation Platform for China and Portuguese-speaking Countries on the afternoon of June 29. Ji Xianzheng, Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, and Huang Heming, Director of the Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.

Zhou Zuyi, Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee, Zheng Xincong, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, and Lei Wai Nong, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, witnessed the ceremony.

As set out in the Agreement, the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao and the Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce will jointly promote the implementation of the Action Plan for Economic and Trade Cooperation and the Joint Declaration proposed in the Ministerial Conference, and strengthen partnership on trade, two-way investment, and boost production capacity cooperation. The two sides will also establish a liaison mechanism for closer communication and collaboration, to vitalize economic and trade cooperation and joint development between Fujian province, Portuguese-speaking countries and Macao and to further utilize Macao’s role as a Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

During the ceremony, Secretary-General Ji Xianzheng introduced the efforts made by Forum Macao and its Permanent Secretariat to facilitate economic and trade cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries, reinforce the bond with provinces and cities of Mainland China, organize human resources training, foster people-to-people exchanges, and build Macao into a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. He spoke highly of Fujian province’s economic and technological strength, and expressed his hope that the People’s Government of Fujian Province and local enterprises would greatly enhance extensive cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries.