The Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), Ms Xu Yingzhen, led a delegation on December 6 to 9 to accompany the Vice Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Mr Wang Bingnan, on his visit Brazil.

During a stop in the capital Brasilia, the officials met with the President of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, Mr Sergio Segovia; the Secretary for Bilateral Negotiations in Asia, Oceania and Russia of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Reinaldo Salgado; and the Assistant Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade and International Affairs at the Ministry of Economy of Brazil, Ms Yana Dumaresq Sobral Alves.

They had discussions on various topics, namely: the economic and trade relationship between China and Brazil; the preparatory work for the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; and cooperation between China and Brazil under the framework of Forum Macao, in order to give full play to Macao’s role as a service cooperation platform.

Vice Minister Wang pointed out that this year marked the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Brazil. He said the relationship between the two countries was at a historical high, and the comprehensive and strategic influence of the relationship was increasing.

China was the largest trading partner of Brazil. Both sides had gained from long-standing development in investment and infrastructure, Mr Wang noted. He gave an overview of Forum Macao and shared his insights regarding China’s work in organising the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

He said China looked forward to working with Brazil on preparations for the Ministerial Conference, and to the two sides discussing the contents of the Conference’s resulting Strategic Plan for Economic and Trade Co-operation: so promoting fruitful collaboration under the framework of Forum Macao.

The delegation also paid a visit – while in the capital – to the Chinese Ambassador to Brazil, Mr Yang Wanming.

Vice Minister Wang spoke while in Brazil about Macao’s role as a cooperation platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. He hoped that Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking Countries could make use of this platform in order to deepen cooperation between various sides, and to promote mutual development in Mainland China, Portuguese-speaking Countries and Macao.

He also invited Brazil to send a high-level delegation to – respectively – the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; the 6th China-LAC Infrastructure Forum to  be held in Macao in May 2020; and the 3rd China International Import Expo to be held in Shanghai in November 2020. Such invitations were further to promote the business investment environment in Brazil and deepen mutual understanding and cooperation between enterprises on both sides.

The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency’s Mr Segovia said the country welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest in Brazil and would actively arrange for Brazilian entrepreneurs to take part in the 6th China-LAC Infrastructure Forum and the 3rd China International Import Expo.

The Secretary for Bilateral Negotiations in Asia, Oceania and Russia of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Salgado, said the country valued the promotion of cooperation in trade and investment, and would continue actively to take a role in the multilateral cooperation mechanism of Forum Macao. The Brazilian Government and related departments would actively coordinate with its work and encourage high-level officials to take part in the 6th Ministerial Conference and work with China on the Conference’s resolutions.

The Assistant Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade and International Affairs at the Ministry of Economy of Brazil, Ms Alves, pointed out that Brazil recognised the value of Macao’s role as a platform. The country had the will to deepen cooperation with China and with other Portuguese-speaking Countries under the framework of Forum Macao, such as in the fields of the economy and trade, trade in services, e-commerce, human resources, and culture.

Forum Macao Secretary-General Ms Xu, Deputy Secretary-General Mr Ding Tian, and the Brazilian liaison representative of Forum Macao held while in Brazil a scheduled meeting regarding the preparatory work for the 6th Ministerial Conference and the working schedule in 2020 for the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao.