The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) will set up a representative office in Lisbon, Portugal and one in São Paulo, Brazil in the second or third quarter of 2016, local newspaper Macao Daily News reported on Tuesday.

Glória Batalha Ung, IPIM’s Executive Director, told the newspaper the representative offices would provide support, including translation services, for Macao and Mainland Chinese companies seeking to do business in the two countries. She said some such companies had in the past encountered difficulties in communicating with local contacts.

The trade body would provide two or three personnel in each representative office, she said. Once the benefits of having the offices are assessed, IPIM might consider setting up similar offices in Portuguese-speaking Countries in Africa, she added.

She also noted that many Macao companies – when seeking to do business in Portuguese-speaking Countries – are typically interested in industries related to food, minerals and timber.