The Ministerial Meeting on Infrastructure between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries took place on June 5 at the Venetian Macao’s Convention & Exhibition Centre. The activity was organised by the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao).

Dignitaries attending the inauguration ceremony included: the Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macao, Mr Leong Vai Tac; the Deputy Director General of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Yao Jian; the Secretary for Transport and Public Works of Macao, Mr Raimundo do Rosário; the Minister for Public Works, Construction and Urban Planning of Guinea-Bissau, José António da Cruz Almeida; the Deputy Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources of Mozambique, Mr João Osvaldo Moisés Machatine; and the Director General of the Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Department of the Ministry of Commerce of China, Ms Kang Wen.

Also present at the ceremony were: the Consul General of Portugal to Macao and Hong Kong, Mr Vítor Sereno; the Deputy Consul of Angola to Macao, Mr Belmiro Peio; the representative from East Timor, Ms Emília Pires; the representative from Cape Verde, Mr Jorge Lima Delgado Lopes; the Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Mr Chang Hexi; the President of the China International Contractors Association, Mr Fang Qiuchen; and the Director of the Macao Economic Services, Mr Sou Tim Peng.

The Ministerial Meeting was one of the highlights of the 6th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, which took place on June 4 and June 5. The Ministerial Meeting had the support from the China International Contractors Association and Macao Economic Services.

To moderate the Ministerial Meeting, the organisers invited Mr Eric Yeung, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the Macao Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre, and Mr António Trindade, Executive Director of CESL Asia and Chairman of the External Affairs Division of the Macau Institution of Engineers.

During the meeting, the President of the China International Contractors Association, Mr Fang Qiuchen, talked about the latest developments in the infrastructure field, focusing on China’s investment policies for construction of infrastructure in overseas markets, particularly in Portuguese-speaking Countries.

In his turn, Mr Liu Hao, President of the China-Africa Development Fund backed by China Development Bank, did a presentation about the policies and investment strategies for the infrastructure sector; funding for construction of infrastructure; and arrangements and access to funding from China Development Bank in order to further infrastructure development.

Participants in the Ministerial Meeting also discussed the opportunities, challenges and co-operation models for the infrastructure sector within what China has dubbed the “One Belt, One Road” strategy.

The Ministerial Meeting again highlighted the role of Macao as a service platform for economic and trade co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, promoting infrastructure development between the two sides. The meeting also supported the Macao Government’s stated role of building “one platform, three centres”.

For its part, Forum Macao will continue to enhance its role as a bridge to promote economic and commercial co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

A total of 180 representatives and experts from the infrastructure sector from Mainland China, Portuguese-speaking Countries and Macao attended the Ministerial Meeting.