The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said the outcomes of the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao would surely lift ties between China and Portuguese-speaking countries to new a level.
Mr Chui made the comments on Wednesday (12 October) during meetings respectively with: the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cape Verde, Mr José Ulisses Correia da Silva; the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique, Mr Carlos Agostinho do Rosário; and the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of the Democratic Republic of East Timor, Mr Estanislau Aleixo da Silva.
The guests were in Macao for the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), also known as Forum Macao.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Cape Verde, Mr José Ulisses Correia da Silva, said Forum Macao was important to the development of Cape Verde. He added he was pleased to lead a delegation to attend Forum Macao events.
Mr Correia da Silva said the tourism industry was a major sector in Cape Verde. He also noted he looked forward to further cooperation with Macao relating to talent development initiatives.
Mr Chui said Macao and Cape Verde had a relationship of close cooperation: the SAR Government would make further efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation, relating in particular to the cultivation of talent via training.
The Chief Executive noted there had been a number of investments in Cape Verde from the mainland and from Macao: he hoped these investments would help boost Cape Verde’s economy.
In a separate meeting, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique, Mr Carlos Agostinho do Rosário, told Mr Chui about Forum Macao’s significant influence on Portuguese-speaking countries in general, and the development of Mozambique in particular. Mr Rosário said he noted a large number of Mozambicans had received training in Macao relating either to law or to science and technology. He hoped training could be extended to other disciplines, as Mozambique needed to expand its pool of talented workers during the nation’s ongoing industrialisation.
Mr Chui said Macao and Mozambique had established an adequate number of channels for communication. Macao – in its role as a bridge between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries – would organise more visits to Mozambique by Chinese investors. He believed a further round of promising cooperation opportunities would soon be available to Macao and Mozambique.
In another meeting, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of the Democratic Republic of East Timor, Mr Estanislau Aleixo da Silva, said Forum Macao has assisted East Timor in its efforts to establish friendly relations with countries that participate in Forum Macao. He hoped Macao and East Timor would strengthen cooperation in fields including: trade, tourism, agriculture, industry and fisheries.
Mr Chui said Macao and East Timor had developed a solid foundation for cooperation: Macao would provide more support to East Timor in a bid to enhance bilateral ties, and would study closely opportunities for fresh cooperation.
Following the meetings, the Government hosted a banquet to welcome delegations from some Forum Macao member countries attending the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao.
During his speech, Mr Chui said trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries had seen significant growth since the establishment of Forum Macao in 2003. Forum Macao’s Strategic Plan for Economic and Trade Co-operation (2017-2019) set out a clear vision and direction for the development of cooperation among the participating countries, he said.
Macao would make further use of its bridging role in order to further the involvement of the Portuguese-speaking countries in the “Belt and Road” initiative, Mr Chui stated.
Wednesday’s banquet was attended by delegations from: the Republic of Angola; the Federative Republic of Brazil; the Republic of Cape Verde; the Republic of Guinea-Bissau; the Republic of Mozambique; and the Democratic Republic of East Timor.
Government officials at the banquet included: the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan; the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac; the Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak; the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng; the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Raimundo Arrais do Rosario; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms O Lam; the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping; the Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Mr Fung Sio Weng; and the Director of the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon, Ms O Tin Lin.