Delegations arriving in Macao for the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao

Further delegations from Portuguese-speaking countries are due to arrive in Macao for the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao, an event to be held on 11 and 12 October. Premier of the State Council, Li Keqiang, who will arrive in Macao tomorrow (10 October), is to deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of 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. Government delegations from four of the participating countries are expected to arrive in Macao later today. They are: the 13-member delegation from the Federative Republic of Brazil, led by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Services, Mr Marcos Pereira; the 18-member delegation from the Republic of Cape Verde, led by the Prime Minister, Mr José Ulisses Correia e Silva; the 25-member delegation from the Republic of Mozambique, led by the Prime Minister, Mr Carlos Agostinho do Rosário; and the 23-member delegation from the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, led by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr Estanislau Aleixo da Silva. Two delegations due to arrive in Macao tomorrow are: the 28-member delegation from the Portuguese Republic, led by the Prime Minister, Mr António Costa; and the 17-member delegation from the Republic of Angola, led by the Minister of Economy, Mr Abrahão Gourgel. The 18-member delegation from the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, led by the Prime Minister, Mr Baciro Djá, arrived in Macao on Friday (7 October). A total of four delegations from the seven Portuguese-speaking countries are led by their respective prime minister. This shows participating countries place great significance on the 5th Ministerial Conference, and the increasing influence of Forum Macao in boosting cooperation and fostering development between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. The theme of the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao is "Moving towards a Stronger China-Portugal Trade and Economic Relationship: Jointly Discussing Cooperation, Constructing Platform and Sharing Development". The Ministerial Conference aims to advance further Macao’s unique functions in connecting China and the Portuguese-speaking countries and boosting cooperation initiatives between them. Forum Macao was established in Macao in October 2003. It was initiated by the Central Government and organised by the Macao Government, with participation from seven Portuguese-speaking countries: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and East Timor. The previous editions of the Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao took place in October 2003; September 2006; November 2010; and November 2013.