Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) organized a Macao Business Delegation to participate in the “Guangdong Foreign-Invested Enterprises Commodities Fair” in Dongguan

In response to the invitation from the Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of Guangdong Province, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) organized a business delegation, comprising approximately of 50 entrepreneurs, and led by its President Mr. Lee Peng Hong, to participate in the 1st “Guangdong Foreign-Invested Enterprises Commodities Fair” (FECF) in Dongguan, held on June 17th to 18th. The purpose of the “FECF” was mainly to facilitate cooperation between Guangdong and enterprises with foreign investments to overcome the international financial crisis, help foreign-funded enterprises expand within the domestic market in Guangdong, increase internal demand and secure a stable growth rate. This Fair also aimed at stimulating the domestic consumer market, promoting domestic and foreign exchanges, thus improving market competitiveness. The Fair helped to expand domestic demand, encourage investment from foreign-invested enterprises, and aimed mainly to improve cooperation between manufacturers for exports and those for domestic markets. It also created opportunities for foreign enterprises to develop within the domestic market and invest in Guangdong, to overcome the difficulties arising from the international financial crisis. IPIM set up a “Macao Pavilion” in the FECF, with an area of 216 square meters (24 standard booths), comprising of 20 Macao enterprises with investments in Guangdong, involved in different sectors such as clothing, furniture, houseware, leather goods, plastic packaging, gifts and food industries. During the Fair, update information about the investment environment in Macao, along with the services provided by IPIM were provided. Mr. Wang Yang, Secretary of the Guangdong Committee of the Communist Party of China; Huang Hua-Hua, Governor of Guangdong; Yi Xiao-Zhun, Vice Minister of Ministry of Commerce of PRC; Wan Qing-Liang, Vice Governor of Guangdong, and Tang Bing-Quan, Vice-Chairman of Guangdong Provincial People's Political Consultative Conference, all visited the "Macao Pavilion" on the opening day of the fair. IPIM and the Department of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of Guangdong Province signed a "Strategic Cooperation Agreement to aid Macao Enterprises to develop the Domestic Market" during the opening ceremony of the FECF. The purpose of this agreement is to help Macao-funded enterprises develop within the domestic market of Guangdong, expand economic and trade cooperation between Guangdong and Macao, as well as enhance the competitiveness of both enterprises from Guangdong and from Macao in both domestic and international markets. Moreover, during the "Procurement Matching Session", IPIM assisted in arranging a total of 102 business matches, relating to different sectors, such as clothing, leather goods, wine, food (biscuits and concentrated drinks), ceramics and furniture. The main purchasers during the “Procurement Matching Session” included companies such as Carrefour, Wal-Mart, Grandbuy Co Ltd, Best Buy, Park'n Shop (Greater China) and the Dongshan Department Store. In addition to the " Strategic Cooperation Agreement to aid Macao Enterprises to develop the Domestic Market " which was signed on the morning of June 18th, IPIM also assisted "Kam Yuen Macao Offshore Services Ltd." and "Heshan Guoji Nanlian Motorcycle Industry Co Ltd." in the signing of a Letter of Intent for the acquisition of motorcycles, with a deal worth of approximately 2.98 million U.S. dollars (approximately 23.1 million patacas). In the afternoon of June 17th, 2009, Wan Qing-Liang, Vice governor of the Province of Guangdong met with Mr Lee Peng-Hong, president of IPIM and the Macao business delegation. Mr. Wan pointed out that in accordance with the guidelines provided by the “Reform of the Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation Framework”, Guangdong and Macao jointly organized the “FECF” and will organize the "Guangdong & Macao Branded Products Fair 2009" (July 30-August 2). The two places will further organize business delegations from both Guangdong and Macao to participate in the "Entrepreneurial Seminar for Commercial and Economic Co-operation Between China and Portuguese Speaking Countries”, which will be held in mid-August in Brazil. At the same time, they will also cooperate with São Paulo Chamber of Commerce, Brazil in organizing the "Guangdong and Macao Investment Environment Promotion Seminar". All these initiatives will help promote and strengthen cooperation between Guangdong and Macao. They also reflect the communication, as well as the development of economic and trade cooperation between the two places. These initiatives will also provide more opportunities for Macao-funded companies invested in Guangdong to explore more business opportunities. Other participants in the Fair included Mr. Kao Sheung Te, Deputy Director of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government; Chui Iok Lam, Vice-chairman of the Industrial Association of Macao and Wang kai Cheong, Chairman of the Association of Weaving & Knitting Industry of Macao.