The grand occasion of the “15th World Summit of Chinese Entrepreneurs”
A diverse array of professional conferences, forums and promotion seminars were held today (on 19 October) during the “23rd Macao International Trade and Investment Fair” (23rd MIF) and the “2018 Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao)” (2018 PLPEX), attracting representatives from enterprises, government agencies, academic communities and research institutes to exchange and share their insights. On the second day of the 23rd MIF and the 2018 PLPEX, a total of 218 matching sessions were held in the Business Matching Area and a total of 9 agreements were signed in the Signing Centre.
Activities carried out today included the “15th World Summit of Chinese Entrepreneurs”, the “4th Young Entrepreneurs Forum of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, the “1st Forum on MICE Cooperation between Cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area - New Opportunities-New Future”, the “Congjiang County Investment Conference”, the “Shanxi (Macau) Investment Promotion Conference”, the “1st Ethnomedicine and Industrial Development Forum & Expo”, and the “Anhui Investment Presentation”. Performances such as the “Portuguese-speaking Countries Cultural Music/Dance Performances” and the “PSC Fashion Shows” were also staged at the exhibition venue. The fabulous array of activities fascinated a great number of participants.
Addressing the changes in the international order and the new treads driven by technological innovation, the “15th World Summit of Chinese Entrepreneurs” adopted the theme “New Era · New Trends”, featuring a series of activities such as the “Forum of Excellence in Achievement of World Chinese Youth Entrepreneurs”, the “New Patterns and Challenges of Leadership”, and the “Inspection Tour of Representatives of Chinese Entrepreneurs to the Greater Bay Area”, said the representative of the Chief Executive of Macao SAR and Secretary for Economy and Finance Mr Leong Vai Tac at the forum. Themed sessions looked into the potential influences of the upcoming Outline Plan for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge on the future development of the Greater Bay Area. Discussions were conducted upon how Chinese entrepreneurs across the world can seize the key opportunities arising from the development of the Greater Bay Area by taking advantage of their broad social networks, extensive connections and language competence. Participants also discussed approaches to seek and foster business opportunities by making full use of the unique strength of Macao as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, the city’s multi-lateral mechanisms for trade co-operation under the framework of the Forum Macao, and the preferential measure of zero tariffs under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). The forum also encouraged Chinese entrepreneurs to integrate their business development with the growth and the future of the Greater Bay Area, and to contribute their own ideas and advice to its development. This year’s forum was joined by over 1,500 representatives of Chinese entrepreneurs from 38 countries and regions worldwide.
The “4th Young Entrepreneurs Forum of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” attracted over 300 participants. At the forum, Mr Leong Vai Tac said that the collaborations through the platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries were deepening and the implementation of the Outline Plan for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was expected shortly, so this year’s “Young Entrepreneurs Forum of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” focused on the “co-operation and development of featured finance in the business sector in China and Portuguese-speaking countries” and “advantages and opportunities of Portuguese-speaking countries and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”. He encouraged the participating financial experts and young entrepreneurs at the forum to put forward their advice and ideas for Macao, Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking countries to strengthen financial co-operation and deepen their participation in the development of the Greater Bay Area.
Build a platform to support Congjiang County in exploring investment opportunities
At the “Congjiang County Investment Conference”, the Magistrate of Congjiang County Mr Tu Gang, promoted local tourism, agricultural and sideline products, traditional Chinese medicine and bamboo products, in the hope of making Congjiang known to the world and deepening the exchange and co-operation with different parties through the MIF platform. IPIM’s Executive Director Mr Sam Lei, said that IPIM will provide more assistances to deepen the co-operation between Congjiang County and Macao, including organising relevant companies to visit Congjiang County, especially those engaged in agricultural products, tourism, TCM, and souvenirs, and using other MICE platforms in Macao to promote investment in Congjiang County.
On the second day of the 23rd MIF and the 2018 PLPEX, a total of 218 matching sessions were held in the Business Matching Area, among which 76 were related to Portuguese-speaking countries such as Angola, Brazil and Portugal. In addition, eight sessions involved cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai. The “Business Matching for the Diamond and Jewellery Industries” was also staged, with a total of 15 business matching sessions taking place.
On the second day, a total of nine agreements were signed in the Signing Centre, covering intergovernmental co-operation, coffee and food agency, professional training, co-operation in the creative industry, and research into big data on healthcare. These agreements included two related to Portuguese-speaking countries and two inked with cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Countries and regions entering into such agreements included Mainland China (Guizhou, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong), Portugal, Mozambique, Hong Kong and Macao.
Mr Lei, a representative of a local food company, said that the two exhibitions helped his company, together with a supermarket of Hong Kong, reached co-operation with a food supplier from Portugal to introduce food from Portuguese-speaking countries to Hong Kong and Macao, adding that the role of Macao as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries was brought into full play.
More activities will be staged tomorrow during the 23rd MIF and the 2018 PLPEX, such as the “Portuguese-speaking Countries Cross-border E-Commerce Workshop”, the “Guinea-Bissau Tax Affairs Presentation”, the “Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Experience” and the “‘Style‧Encounter Moment’ Fashion Parade of the 5th Subsidy Programme for Fashion Design on Sample Making”, as well as “Portuguese-speaking Countries Cultural Music/Dance Performances” and “PSC Fashion Shows”.
Free shuttle bus travelling between the exhibition venue and designated stops at Rua do Mercado de lao Hon (opposite to Jardim de Iao Hon and near the Isquare Computer Plaza), Rua do Dr. Pedro José Lobo (near the Macau Square), Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida (near Pak Wai Bus Stop), and Avenida de Guimaraes (Parque Central da Taipa and opposite to Nova Park) will be available to support green travel. Buses will depart from the above designated locations to the exhibition venue every 30 minutes between 9:00 and 16:30, and from the MIF venue to different stops every 30 minutes between 11:00 and 18:30. The parking area of Exhibition Hall D is open to attendees on a “first come, first served” basis due to limited availability.
