State Councillor Hua Jianmin arrives in Macao for Sino-Lusophone ministerial conference

State Councillor and State Council Secretary General, Mr Hua Jianmin, arrived in Macao this evening to officiate tomorrow's opening of the Second Ministerial Conference of the Economic Cooperation Forum between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Mr Hua was greeted at the airport by the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah; Minister of Commerce, Mr Bo Xilai; Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Chen Zhuoer; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao, Mr Xu Ze; Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, and other senior officials. Some students were also at the tarmac to welcome the State Councillor with flowers. Upon arrival, Mr Hua met with Mr Edmund Ho at Government Headquarters before proceeding to a welcoming reception hosted by Mr Ho. Speaking at the dinner reception held at the Government Headquarters, the Chief Executive thanked the Central Government for supporting Macao to stage another ministerial conference of the Sino-Lusophone Forum following the huge success of the first ministerial conference three years ago. He added that it was a great honour for Macao to have Mr Hua at the conference's opening tomorrow. Mr Ho also underlined that Macao owed its success in promoting trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries to the Central Government's support. Also attending the dinner reception were Vice Chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr Ma Man Kei; Minister of Commerce, Mr Bo Xilai; and other senior officials and luminaries.