The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, holds a meeting in Lisbon with members of the Macao entrepreneur delegation invited for the Portugal visit.
The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, called for entrepreneurs in the Macao delegation visiting Portugal to make good use of the trip in terms of seeking business opportunities, and to promote the opportunities available in Macao and in the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone.
Their effort would in turn create fresh possibilities for Macao-Portugal cooperation in trade and tourism, and generate new impetus for Macao’s appropriate economic diversification.
Mr Ho made the remarks during a meeting in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, in the evening local time on Thursday (20 April), with the Macao entrepreneurs taking part in the trip. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Lei Wai Nong, and was attended by approximately 50 people, including not only the Macao entrepreneurs, but also officials from the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and entrepreneurs from the Cooperation Zone, as well as representatives of Macao integrated tourism and leisure enterprises.
The Chief Executive is leading a delegation of officials on a four-day visit to Portugal, accompanied by a group of Macao entrepreneurs. The delegation arrived in the country on Wednesday (19 April).
Speaking in the meeting with Macao entrepreneurs, Mr Ho stated that the main purpose of their and the Cooperation Zone representatives’ visit to Portugal was to present to people there information on the latest opportunities available in Macao and in the Cooperation Zone, and therefore promote Macao-Portugal cooperation in various aspects.
The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government had devised a “1+4” strategy to support Macao’s sustainable development, to optimise the city’s economic structure, and to create impetus for development, said Mr Ho.
The"1+4" strategy referred to enriching Macao’s function as “One Centre” for integrated tourism and leisure, while facilitating the development of four nascent industries, namely “Big Health”; modern financial services; high and new technology; and convention and exhibition, sports, and the commercial and trade sectors.
The Cooperation Zone had recently introduced a list of key industries for development, which covered the four industries that Macao was working at, noted Mr Ho.
The Chief Executive said the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Cooperation Zone were relatively new concepts to people in Portugal. Therefore, in meetings with the President of the Portuguese Republic, with the country’s Prime Minister, and with other Portuguese officials, Mr Ho had explained the development prospects in Macao, in the Greater Bay Area, and the Cooperation Zone, with particular focus on the fact that the Cooperation Zone is designed to support Macao’s appropriate economic diversification. The Portuguese side was interested in the development opportunities arising from those initiatives, he added.
Mr Ho went on to say that the MSAR Government had built a development platform for the modern financial industry, in order to allow the banking sector to grow. Regarding the convention and exhibition industry, it should work hard to seek fresh business opportunities and partners, he stated. Mr Ho said that in relation to “Big Health”, Portugal had a sound foundation in pharmaceutical production, with many small and medium-sized certified pharmaceutical factories, and many medicines endorsed with European Union certification that could be sold in Macao.
The Chief Executive called on the entrepreneurs to make good use their upcoming visit to Porto, another commercial centre of Portugal, to seek business opportunities.
Speaking in the meeting, entrepreneurs agreed that being able to take part in the Portugal visit carried great significance, at a crucial time for post-pandemic revitalisation of the Macao economy. Entrepreneurs said that they had engaged with Portuguese businesses which were interested in opportunities available respectively in Macao, the Greater Bay Area, and the Cooperation Zone, and that they looked forward to promoting, while in Portugal and in the future, Macao and the Cooperation Zone.
During the meeting, some entrepreneurs expressed opinions and suggestions on topics such as trade platforms in Portugal, technological innovation, start-ups, expanding international-tourist marketing, organising visits to Macao by Portuguese pharmaceutical industry representatives, cross-border e-commerce development, and legal services.
