Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai recently met with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in Lisbon, Portugal during his current visit to several European countries.
Sam arrived in Lisbon, his first stop of the four-nation European tour (comprising Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Belgium), last Saturday. He is scheduled to return to Macau tomorrow.
In his meeting with Montenegro, on 21 April, both sides affirmed the broad prospects for Macau-Portugal cooperation and agreed that Macau will continue to leverage its unique role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, advancing China-Portugal economic and trade collaboration, as well as enhancing support for Portuguese enterprises in accessing the vast Chinese market, according to Government Information Bureau (GCS).
The chief executive (pictured, left) also pointed out during the meeting that the prime minister’s (right) successful visit to China – that included Macau – last September yielded positive outcomes, with leaders from both sides agreeing to further enrich the content of their nations’ comprehensive strategic partnership. More details on this meeting can be found via this link.
During the chief executive’s visit to Portugal, he also met with Macau students in the country.
Meanwhile, Sam also met with other leaders, including Portugal’s President António José Seguro, Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice, Minister of Economy and of Territorial Cohesion Manuel Castro Almeida, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel, as well as Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Yang Yirui.
In Spain, the chief executive met with Chinese Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, Yao Jing, in Madrid, as well as some Spanish officials, such as the country’s Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Labour and Social Economy Yolanda Díaz Pérez and Second Vice President of the Senate Concha Andreu Rodríguez.
In his remarks during a welcome reception in Madrid, Spain on Wednesday, Sam pointed out that proactively strengthening cooperation with Spanish-speaking countries is part of the Macau SAR Government’s strategic development effort.
He added the SAR government will extend the functions of Macau’s platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries to Spanish-speaking countries, underlining the plan to open up market opportunities and increase trade with Spanish-speaking countries with the help of a one-billion yuan development fund – for promoting trade between China and Portuguese (Spanish)-speaking countries – jointly established by the Macau SAR Government and the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macau Intensive Cooperation Zone In Hengqin, according to a GCS press release.
Sam also said his visit to Spain marked a new stage in Macau’s relations with the country, enriching the SAR’s role as “One Centre, One Platform, One Base”, while injecting fresh momentum into China and Spain’s friendship, as well as their pursuit of sustainable development.
In Geneva, Switzerland, the chief executive met with World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Thursday. The two officials exchanged views on strengthening Macau’s role in multilateral trade, enhancing its functions as a platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and on promoting trade links between China and WTO member states, especially the Portuguese-speaking countries.
He also met with the Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Li Yongjie, in Geneva on Thursday. The two discussed ways to strengthen links between the two parties and to support Macau in its efforts in deepening cooperation with the WTO, according to GCS.
Meanwhile, accompanying the chief executive on his first overseas visit to Portugal, Secretary-General of the Talent Development Committee, Kong Chi Meng, together with representatives from multiple leading enterprises in Macau and mainland China, met with the Portugal-China Small and Medium Enterprises Chamber of Commerce (CCPC-PME) on Monday, with the delegation interacting and engaging in exchanges with the president of the chamber of commerce, Y Ping Chow, and representatives from Portuguese enterprises in traditional Chinese medicine, tourism and other fields.
With all parties expressing their hope to strengthen future exchange and collaboration in talent development, Macau will give full play to its role as a Sino-Lusophone platform and generate win-win opportunities by ‘bringing in’ talent and enterprises from the Portuguese-speaking countries whilst supporting Macau and mainland Chinese enterprises in ‘going global’.
In addition, the Talent Development Committee also visited the University of Lisbon in Portugal to promote the Macau SAR Government’s talent policies and deepen collaboration in nurturing Chinese-Portuguese professionals. More on this report can be found via this link. – GNM
Source and Photo: GCS
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