PPRD benefits China-ASEAN Free Trade Area

The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said today the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) region could participate more actively in the facilitation of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. Mr Ho was delivering a speech during a session between the members of the PPRD region and some commerce officials from the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Mr Ho said due to the proximity to the ASEAN, the PPRD region could act as an intermediate for these countries. In addition, he said, Macao would like to co-operate with the members of ASEAN to develop the markets of the Portuguese-speaking countries. He said that Macao had become a platform between the Mainland and the Portuguese-speaking countries since the launch of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) in 2003, and the setting up of the supporting office to its Secretariat. To bolster its intermediary role, Macao would organise the second forum this year, and would co-operate with the members of the PPRD region to strengthen the trading and business links with the Portuguese-speaking countries. Before attending this session, Mr Ho officiated the opening ceremony of the third PPRD Economic and Trade Co-operation Fair and toured the exhibition area set up by the MSAR and Macao's businesspeople.