A conference in southwestern China drew together 70 businesspeople to talk about trade and investment in the Portuguese-speaking world, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, or IPIM, says.

During the conference, in the city of Chongqing, 68 side sessions matched buyers and sellers in businesses such as supermarkets, department stores, the wine trade, commodity wholesaling and retailing, hospitality, catering and e-commerce, according to a written statement issued by the institute.

IPIM and the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce jointly held the conference last Friday as part of Macao Week in Chongqing, which began the same day and ends today, IPIM says.

A separate statement issued by the Macao Government Tourism Office quotes Chongqing Vice-mayor Cai Yunge as saying the city will use Macao as the forge for new trade links with lusophone countries.