The 4th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries opened in Macao today with ministers representing participating countries addressing the gathering and highlighting the importance of the Forum. The Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau, Mr Rui Duarte Barros, was the first to speak at today's Forum: he stressed that it was his country's goal to develop a true strategic partnership with China. Mr Barros added that Guinea-Bissau was doing its best to improve conditions for attracting and protecting Chinese private investors. The Vice President of Brazil, Mr Michel Temer, said the establishment in Macao of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Commercial Services Centre for Portuguese-speaking Countries was vital to achieving the goal of achieving US$160 billion in bilateral trade between China and Lusophone countries by 2016. Deputy Prime Minister of Portugal, Mr Paulo Portas, spoke highly of the work of the Forum, which demonstrated China's recognition of the global strategic significance of Portuguese-speaking countries. Mr Portas also underlined Macao's role as a bridge between the two sides, adding that the Cooperation and Development Fund between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries would serve as an important platform for spurring exchanges between enterprises on both sides. Deputy Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Mr Fernando de Araújo, told the gathering that his country's current stability was attributed to the support of the global community as well as bilateral partners, highlighting the fact that Timor-Leste saw China as one of its most important strategic partner. The Minister of Justice and Human Rights of Angola, Mr Rui Mangueira, noted that as the Forum continued to grow in scale and scope, it had already become indispensable in economic exchanges among the participating countries. The Minister of Tourism, Industry and Energy of Cape Verde, Mr Humberto Santos de Brito, said his government had full confidence in the prospect of the Forum and he believed this innovative mechanism would help enhance the potential of every member country. For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mozambique, Mr Oldemiro Balói, pointed out that his country had benefited greatly from the scholarships offered by Macao and China since the founding of the Forum. Mr Balói said the training provided to Mozambicans by Macao and China had improved the manpower of Mozambique and promoted the country's sustainable development.
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