On February 25, the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) hosted a cocktail reception at the Grand Hyatt Beijing Hotel to mark Lunar New Year. Dignitaries attending the reception included: China’s Vice Minister of Commerce, Mr Wang Bingnan; the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR, Mr Leong Vai Tac; the Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Ms Xu Yingzhen; representatives of the follow-up action committee from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China that liaises with Forum Macao; the respective Ambassadors to Beijing from the Portuguese-speaking Countries; former secretaries-general of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao; officials who attended previous Ministerial Conferences; and representatives of academic institutions and the media.

Secretary-General Ms Xu Yingzhen delivered a welcoming speech. Vice Minister of Commerce Mr Wang; Secretary for Economy and Finance Mr Leong; and the senior member in China of the Portuguese-speaking Countries’ diplomatic corps and Ambassador to Beijing for Guinea-Bissau, Mr Malam Sambú, respectively delivered speeches during the ceremony.

During 2018 the Permanent Secretariat sought to maintain close collaboration with all stakeholders, achieving significant results in various areas of Forum Macao’s work. During the period it effectively fostered pragmatic cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, within the framework of the goals set in the Strategic Plan for Economic and Trade Co-operation (2017-2019) and in the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Co-operation in Production Capacity, both of which had been signed during the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao in 2016. Such cooperation is also pursued within the framework of 18 new measures proposed by the Chinese side at the 5th Ministerial Conference and designed to promote economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

The “circle of friends” has grown larger via exchanges between a greater number of provinces and municipalities in Mainland China, and Portuguese-speaking Countries. This has helped the Mainland’s business community gain better knowledge of those countries, while promoting awareness among businesses and civil society, regarding Forum Macao and Macao’s role as a platform. This in turn allows China and Portuguese-speaking Countries to broaden their respective horizons and channels of cooperation.

Forum Macao has continued to promote cooperation in human resource training and in cultural exchanges between all interested stakeholders. At the same time, the initiative known as third-party evaluation work – a study commissioned as part of the 15th anniversary of Forum Macao – has begun to compile experiences of the various stakeholders and define a future path for Forum Macao’s work. Forum Macao is committed to promoting the transformation of Macao into a Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, by holding, or taking part in, numerous cultural, economic or trade events.

In 2019 the Permanent Secretariat of Macao Forum will endeavour to continue playing its liaison role, acting as a driving force for the full implementation of the measures set out during the 5th Ministerial Conference while working on preparations for the 6th Ministerial Conference. Among the priorities will be investment and trade promotion, cooperation in production capacity, human resources training activities, cultural exchange events between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and support for the transformation of Macau in terms of its platform role.

During 2019 the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao will seek to take full advantage of all upcoming development opportunities in order actively to promote deeper integration of efforts toward economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. This will all be within the framework of the integration of Macao into national development guidelines and the framework of intensification in international cultural exchanges. Forum Macao will create fresh opportunities in relation to these matters, seeking to make the most of Macau’s location as an integral part of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and of the “Belt and Road” initiative.