Enterprises conduct business negotiations and co-operation through MIF, PLPEX, and the “Online Business Matching Service Platform” to bring in more business opportunities
The “23rd Macao International Trade and Investment Fair” (23rd MIF) and the “2018 Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao)” (2018 PLPEX) will be held concurrently from 18 to 20 October at the Venetian Macao. Looking back, many companies have achieved business networking and co-operation through MIF, PLPEX, and the “Online Business Matching Service Platform”. Macao companies recognise that MIF and PLPEX have created great opportunities for corporate collaboration and exchange. They are confident of the result of joining the event again this year as the harvest from last year’s exhibition was beyond their expectations.
Ms. Tsang, a representative of an electronic technology enterprise, said that participating in MIF enables her to connect with more enterprises, which is productive of exposure to the advantages of technological innovation and e-commerce, and can help enterprises save a lot of time and labor costs. She participated in MIF for the first time last year and successfully found business partners through the “Online Business Matching Service Platform” of the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. She believes that MIF creates a lot of good opportunities because it brings together enterprises from many countries and regions and its user-friendly “Online Business Matching Service Platform” effectively saves time for companies and exempts them from travelling long to reach co-operation. At the same time, MIF has different themed exhibition areas, which enable participants and exhibitors to understand and appreciate more cultures, industries and commodities from other regions and enterprises, and broaden their horizons and business opportunities. The Smart Exhibition Area is introduced at MIF this year. Ms. Tsang believes that this effort will support the development of Macao, and at the same time help its enterprises incorporate technology into their business development.
Mr. Chow, person in-charge of a cross-border e-commerce company, said after successfully reaching co-operation with Mainland companies during last year’s MIF and PLPEX, this year the company will bring more Mainland purchasers to participate in the two exhibitions. He believes that MIF has strengthened the friendly collaboration between countries and regions, further strengthened the interconnection between countries, created more opportunities for co-operation, and played a greater role in promoting economic and trade co-operation. PLPEX fully takes advantage of Macao’s role as a Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (PSC). Enterprises can take this opportunity to promote themselves to PSCs, recruit suppliers for business partnership, and build the gateway to trade with PSCs. Mr. Chow believes that the concurrence of MIF and PLPEX can form a superposition effect that organically combines the elements of the “Belt and Road”, China-PSC platform, and Macao’s convention and exhibition industry. He is quite confident about the results of this year’s exhibition.
First-Time Participation Yields Results Going Beyond Expectation
Ms. Sou, the head of a Portuguese-speaking country's product agency, said the results of her first-time participation in PLPEX in 2017 were beyond her expectations. The most impressive outcome to her was that after reaching a co-operation agreement with Macao enterprises, the products of her company hits the store shelves in the partner shops within just one week, and the results were satisfactory. The partnership continues to this day. In addition to broadening the network with retailers and customers, the exhibition also created the occasion for her to meet with a number of suppliers from Portugal and establish partnerships with olive oil and wine producers from Porto, which resulted in a better business environment. Ms. Sou said that she will continue to participate in this year’s exhibition and expand business opportunities.
Ms. Kwan, a representative from another agency for a Portuguese-speaking country's products, said that after participating in PLPEX for the first time in 2017, she succeeded in reaching co-operation with Portuguese companies through the exhibition. Her greatest experience was to learn that what sets PLPEX apart from other exhibitions is that most of its participants hope to learn more about Portuguese-speaking countries’ products, and that their interest and acceptance of those products are higher compared to the average attendees. She concluded that the business opportunities she encountered at PLPEX were promising. She added that she also made an appointment with other companies through the “Online Business Matching Service Platform”, which did not only improve the efficiency of business negotiation between exhibitors, but also shortened the time spent in searching for preferable enterprises.