Closer link between Macao and Fujian

Great strides in business, culture and tourism co-operation and exchange between Macao and Fujian have been achieved, the Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, said in Fujian today. “The two-way economy have also grown rapidly over the past years, including business activities,” Mr Ho said in a keynote speech at a meeting where high-ranking officials from Macao and Fujian were taking part during his two day visit to the province. “By taking the advantages of Macao acting as a trading platform, Macao and Fujian have jointly opened up overseas markets, and organised delegations to study the business opportunities in the Portuguese-speaking countries,” he said. The Macao-Fujian collaboration has gone into an all-around and deeper stage, he added, when he highlighted that the Central Government has given indispensable assistance. “Following the extensive implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), the degree and level of collaboration between these two places would definitely be advanced.” The Macao SAR Government is highly interested with the concept of HaiXi Economic Zone, which would be a key step in speeding up economic development of the west strait, he said. Meanwhile, the Chief Executive revealed that Macao would host a large-scale international forum on the environmental industry in 2008, which is another gateway for Fujian to seek business co-operation with the European Union. He said Macao would continue to promote partnership with Fujian, and boosting trade between Fujian and Taiwan, China, would be one of the focal points under the Macao-Fujian collaboration framework.