The Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) organised on the morning of October 20 the “Roundtable Meeting between Leaders of Provinces and Municipalities of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”. The event was held at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel.

The opening ceremony of the event was attended by: the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, 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; Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province Mr Chen Zhenning; the Acting Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Ms Wang Dong; the Secretary of State for Regional Planning and Integration of Guinea-Bissau, Mr José Biai; the Governor of Niassa Province in Mozambique, Mr Arlindo Chilundo; the President of the Cantagalo District Council of São Tomé and Príncipe, Mr Paulo Jorge de Carvalho; the Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Ms Xu Yingzhen; the Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department and Head of the Commercial Office of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Ms Chen Xing; Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Wang Jiabao; diplomats from Portuguese-speaking Countries accredited in China, and officials and mayors from Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

Forum Macao’s Ms Xu, Jiangsu Province Vice Governor Mr Chen and the Governor of Niassa Province in Mozambique, Mr Chilundo, each delivered speeches during the event.

The “Roundtable Meeting between Leaders of Provinces and Municipalities of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” was one of Forum Macao’s highlight events for 2017. Its theme was “Building smart cities, enhancing core competitiveness”. The Roundtable Meeting was presided over by Deputy Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao Ms Echo Chan. Attendees included invited experts in water safety and public security. Around 60 officials took part in the event, from, respectively: the Changzhou, Taizhou and Suqian municipalities in China’s Jiangsu Province; Chenzhou municipality in the Chinese province of Hunan; the municipalities of Sal and Praia in Cape Verde; the city of Bissau in Guinea Bissau; Niassa Province, plus Matola and Dondo municipalities in Mozambique; the city of Lisbon in Portugal; Cantagalo District in São Tomé and Príncipe; and East Timor’s Ministry of State Administration.

During the Roundtable Meeting, experts presented several innovative concepts in the fields of water safety and public security. Participants also shared experiences and opinions on the development of security systems in “smart cities”.

The event’s aims were: to strengthen the role of Macao as a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; and to promote exchanges and friendly cooperation between provinces and cities from respectively China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries, as stated in the “Strategic Plan for Economic and Trade Co-operation of the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”. The event also provided opportunities for participants to exchange opinions and knowledge, thereby promoting mutual learning in order to support the development of “smart cities” and support social progress.