A meeting to review the external evaluation report on the achievements over the past 15 years of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) took place on January 16 and 17 in Macao. More than 30 participants attended the meeting. They included: the Secretary-General of Forum Macao, Ms Xu Yingzhen; staff from the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao; members of the diplomatic corps from Portuguese-speaking Countries based in Beijing; evaluation experts from various parties; and members of the research team of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The external evaluation aimed to offer a full assessment of the achievements of Forum Macao since its establishment 15 years ago, and to provide suggestions for its future work. Forum Macao’s Ms Xu said in a speech during the meeting that the evaluation research team had completed its work and had finished the first draft of the report. Two separate sessions were held on January 16 and 17, during which experts from nine countries and from the 10 parties involved in the external evaluation of Forum Macao shared insights and suggestions for optimising the work of Forum Macao.

Ms Xu said she hoped the creation of the evaluation report would enable the public to know more about the development of Forum Macao and the history of the economic and trade relations between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries. She also hoped the evaluation report would be a reference point on – and provide suggestions for – the development of Forum Macao.

Guinea Bissau’s Ambassador to Beijing, Mr Malam Sambú – speaking on behalf of the diplomatic corps in China of Portuguese-speaking Countries – mentioned in his speech that the external evaluation report analysed the achievements of Forum Macao since its establishment, and the challenges that Forum Macao encountered throughout the past 15 years. He added that the external evaluation report would help with the work planning of Forum Macao in the short- and medium-term; advance the efficiency of the work carried out by Forum Macao; enhance cooperation between the parties involved; and foster economic development in each of the involved countries.

Ambassador Sambú said additionally that he hoped the external evaluation report would provide suggestions for the future work of Forum Macao, in particular in relation to optimising the multilateral mechanism on economic, trade and finance cooperation, and promoting further the role of the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Cooperation and Development Fund, particularly in the financing of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

The research team from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences presented an overview of the evaluation report. Governmental officials and experts from China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries shared their respective opinions regarding the work done by Forum Macao since its establishment and completed a review of the evaluation report.

On January 17, participants of the meeting visited the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex.