The four-day 16th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF), has come to a close today (23rd Oct). The 17th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) will be held from 18th to 21st October 2012. The 16th MIF has received over 95,000 visits, a 17% increase over the past year. The "Convention & Exhibition Through Train Service" and "Overseas Trade Visitors Incentive Plan" have registered the participation of over 5,700 trade visitors. Over the last 4 days, the MIF has conducted 1,502 sessions of business matching, resulting in the signing of 81 protocols. Meanwhile, a total of 47 forums, conferences, seminars & presentations were held with over 7,000 attendees. Larger in scale and more internationalized
The scale of this year's MIF has expanded by 18 %. There were altogether 850 local and overseas exhibitors from more than 60 countries and regions comprising more than 1,650 booths. Not only is the scale of the exhibition expanded, but there are also many new comers this year, such as Nepal, Kenya and Korea who have made their debut independent exhibitions while some Mainland China Provinces like Anhui and Jiangxi have set up their own exhibition areas for the first time. The variety of exhibits is more diversified the contents for display and exchange more extensive, internationalized, professionalized and market-oriented. Particularly, this year has seen many pavilions with the theme of cultural and creative industries and the exhibitors have come from many different regions, constituting a key component and a main highlight of the MIF this year. Not only are the specialized trades exhibition areas larger than before, but the categories of participating trades are more diverse this year. The contents on display and the exhibits are richer in variety and more high-end. These exquisite products have greatly enhanced the quality of the entire Fair, and have boosted the attractiveness to the target international markets and trade visitors. Summits, Forums and Themed Conferences
The guest speakers who are invited to give speeches at the forums and conferences of the 16th MIF are government officials, entrepreneurial leaders, elites of different trades, experts and scholars, and the professional level and results of exchanges have been constantly enhanced. The "International Trade and Investment Forum 2011" has invited not only the government representatives and business leaders from many countries and regions who gather in Macao to explore regional trade and economic investment cooperation, but has also invited this year Mr. Cao Yuanzheng, chief economist of Bank of China to deliver a thematic speech. "The 8th World Summit of Chinese Entrepreneurs" has been graced with the presence of over 1,000 guests and trade visitors from across the world. Moreover, the 16th MIF has also organized activities that regard Macao as a bridge in the collaboration and exchange among three places, such as the Portuguese-Speaking Countries-Fujian-Macao trade and economic exchange activities, "Beijing-Macao-EU Cultural & Creative Industry Cooperation and Promotion Meeting" and "Jiangsu – Macao‧Portuguese Speaking Countries Business Forum", as well as bilateral meetings and activities for exchange and cooperation between Macao and Mainland China and between Macao and other overseas countries, such as the meetings for "Inner-Mongolia-Macao" and "EU-Macao". These activities have resulted in the signing of numerous cross-regional cooperation agreements or memorandums of strategic cooperation among diverse trades and among the participating countries (regions). Looking at the various forums and conferences, and business networking and presentation activities of the MIF this year, in comparison with the past editions, apart from an improvement in the number and profile of participants, another distinctive characteristic is that the MIF this year has paid more attention to the supporting and interactive functions between the meetings and the contents of the exhibitions. In other words, the MIF is attaching more importance to the practical results of the meetings and activities. The MIF has also demonstrated the diversity and target orientation of the meeting activities. E.g. the MIF this year has introduced the networking cocktail receptions for certain trades, which provide a platform of direct exchange and business negotiations for the exhibitors and buyers of the trades concerned. Business Matching and Protocols
The number of business matching sessions conducted during the four-day period has recorded a bigger increase. There are a total of 1,502 sessions of business matching, up 30.5% year-on-year, comprised of 800 sessions of project matching, 485 sessions of purchasing matching and 217 sessions of specialized trade matching. During the period of the 16th MIF, a total of 81 protocols have been signed (a year-on-year increase of 30.65%), which include 15 contracts, 51 memorandums, 8 letters of intent and 7 memorandums. The trades and industries concerned include tourism, cultural and creative areas, convention & exhibition, information technology, manufacturing, chemical industry, heavy industry, real estate, trade and commerce, human resources cooperation, Chinese medicine, environmental protection, products distributorship, health products, animals pasturage, food processing, and friendly cooperation between governments and trade associations. The signing parties come from Macao (49.01%), Mainland China (39.74%), Taiwan and Portugal (1.32%), Hong Kong (5.96%), Switzerland (0.66%) and Canada (0.66%). Summarising the business matching and agreements signed during the MIF this year, the position of MIF in regional economic and trade exchange service shall be to continue serving Macao's SMEs to utilize Macao's platform, in a variety of flexible business forms to deepen Macao's economic diversification and reinforce the role of a regional platform, enhance external economic exchange, promoting cooperation of the market of Mainland China with the counterparts in ASEAN, EU and Portuguese-speaking countries. Themed Exhibition and Sales Areas for SMEs to Explore Business Opportunities
MIF has been dedicated to serving the SMEs. The "SME International Business Days" have attracted a great number of SMEs to participate in business matching and promotional presentations. The results of the SME Exhibition are encouraging with a wide range of products and trading services being promoted to the Mainland and overseas markets. The International SME Exhibition Areas have drawn innumerous residents and visitors to make their purchases. The contents of this year are more enriched and diversified compared to last year, bringing good businesses to the exhibitors. Thus, the exhibition has enjoyed high popularity among the local SMEs as well as among the residents and visitors.
