Vice Premier Zhang Peiyan meets with Edmund Ho

The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, has arrived in Xiamen, where he will attend the opening of the “9th China International Fair for Investment and Trade” tomorrow. Later in the afternoon, he met the Vice Premier, Mr Zhang Peiyan. Mr Ho and the Macao SAR delegation were greeted by officials from Fujian Province when they arrived about 1:50 pm. Mr Ho and some Macao officials in the delegation also met with the Secretary of the CPC Fujian provincial Committee, Mr Lu Zhangong and the Governor of Fujian Province, Mr Huang Xiaojing, where they exchanged views on economic development and co-operative opportunities in trade and tourism. Both sides agreed that the bileteral cooperation had achieved significant results. Mr Ho met the Vice Premier later in the afternoon. Present at the meeting with Mr Zhang were the Commerce Minister, Mr. Bo Xilai and Vice Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr He Xiaowei. Tomorrow Mr Ho will attend the opening ceremony of the “9th China International Fair for Investment and Trade”, which is organized by the Ministry of Commerce, and deliver a speech at the International Investment Forum. Meanwhile, the Secretary for Economic and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen had lead an 80-member bussiness delegation to the fair. He will accompany the Portuguese-speaking countries delegation in a briefing conference under the theme of the investment atmosphere in China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Representatives from seven countries, including Portugal, Brazil and Mozambique, will make presentations to mainland entrepreneurs. In the conference, Macao representatives will promote Macao’s role the bridge with the Portuguese speaking countries. Earlier today, Mr Ho said before departure that the participation of ministerial officials from Portuguese-speaking countries in this year’s Fair is helpful to the promotion of Macao’s mediating role and the second “Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries” to be held in Macao next year. In response to media questions on the damage to a branch office of a Hong Kong property agency in Macao, Mr Ho said the Police was investigating the incident and stressed that the MSAR Government would not tolerate any act or threat to public security, especially those that affected the livelihood and properties of the people. He said that the Government would continue to enhance investment environment and maintain social stability.