A delegation of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), led by Deputy Secretary-General Mr Ding Tian, visited Jiaozhou city, part of Qingdao, from April 25 to 27.

The delegation took part in the opening ceremony of the 2021 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation International Investment and Trade Expo, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Qingdao Forum on Local Economic and Trade Cooperation. The delegation also organised an exchange meeting on economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and visited the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Demonstration Zone for Local Economic and Trade Cooperation, as well as local companies.

On April 25, Mr Ding met with Mr Liu Jianjun, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Qingdao Committee and director of the Administrative Committee of the Qingdao Jiaozhou Shanghe Demonstration Zone. The two sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, such as how to deepen pragmatic cooperation, how multilateral institutions can promote exchanges and learn from each other, and how to deepen economic and trade cooperation between Qingdao municipality and Portuguese-speaking Countries. 

Other officials attending the meeting included: Deputy Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Mr Paulo Jorge do Espírito Santo; Director of the Qingdao Municipal People’s Government Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, Mr Ji Jiadong; and Deputy-Director of the Qingdao Jiaozhou Shanghe Demonstration Zone, Mr Meng Qingsheng.

The Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao and the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Demonstration Zone for Local Economic and Trade Cooperation held, on April 27, an exchange meeting on economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. Forum Macao’s Mr Ding gave a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony. The meeting was chaired by Qingdao Jiaozhou Shanghe Demonstration Zone’s Mr Meng. Second-class inspector of the Qingdao Bureau of Commerce, Mr Chuanyu Xianli, also delivered a speech.

During the meeting, presentations were made by: The Mozambican Ambassador to China; the Consul-General of Angola in the Macao SAR; and the delegates at Forum Macao of respectively Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste. Officials of the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Cooperation and Development Fund, and representatives from Chinese companies also made presentations during the event, while Brazil sent a short promotional video. 

Representatives of more than 30 mainland China firms took part in the event, and carried out exchanges with the delegates of Portuguese-speaking Countries at Forum Macao.

In his speech, Deputy Secretary-General Mr Ding said the Permanent Secretariat took part in this year’s edition of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation International Investment and Trade Expo and held an exchange meeting, to expand its “circle of friends,” in a bid further to promote economic and trade cooperation between companies in mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and to introduce to entrepreneurs on the mainland, Portuguese-speaking Countries’ products and respective investment environments.

Deputy-Director Mr Meng pointed out in his speech that the Qingdao Jiaozhou Shanghe Demonstration Zone and Forum Macao were multilateral cooperation platforms, and that exchanges between the two sides would promote economic, trade, cultural, and tourism collaboration and investment between members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

Representatives of a number of companies, including Qingdao Langyatai Group Co., Ltd.; Qingdao-Macau Holdings (Qingdao) Co. Ltd.; and China Communications Construction Co., Ltd., made presentations on specific cooperation projects they intend to develop in Portuguese-speaking Countries, and shared their respective experience in investing overseas. Delegates of Portuguese-speaking Countries at Forum Macao and entrepreneurs from mainland China, exchanged views on economic and trade cooperation matters, trade in products and services, and overseas investment, among other topics of mutual interest.

During its stay in Qingdao, the delegation also visited Qingdao Shaohaihui Business Management Consulting Co., Ltd. and the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Centre.

The delegation of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao was successful in its effort to promote further Macao’s role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and the work done by Forum Macao. By taking part in a series of economic- and trade-related events in Jiaozhou city, the delegation was able to strengthen mainland Chinese firms’ knowledge of the investment environment in Portuguese-speaking Countries, especially among those companies in Shandong province.