The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, meets with the former president of Republic of Cape Verde, Mr Pedro Pires, during Mr Pires
The Ministerial Conference between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, to be held in Macao later this year, would help take economic cooperation and trade between Cape Verde and Macao to a new level. The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, made the remarks on Thursday (7 July) in a meeting with the former president of the Republic of Cape Verde, Mr Pedro Pires. The 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries is to be held in Macao. Through this event and other steps, the Government would use its utmost efforts to increase the number of business opportunities available to China, the Portuguese-speaking countries and Macao. The Government pays great attention to relations with Portuguese-speaking countries and to Macao’s bridging role between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, said Mr Chui. The Government is committed to the goals of transforming Macao into, respectively: a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries; a business and trade service centre for small- and medium-sized enterprises in Portuguese-speaking countries; a goods distribution centre; and a convention and exhibition centre for economic and trade cooperation between China and Portugal Mr Pires said he hoped his visit would facilitate deeper bilateral exchanges between Cape Verde and Macao. Reinforcing ties with Macao would help Cape Verde strengthen cooperation with China, countries in Africa and other Portuguese-speaking countries, he added. Mr Pires was visiting Macao for the first time, following an official visit to Beijing. He said he was impressed by Macao’s beautiful cityscape and robust social and economic developments. The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, also attended Thursday’s meeting. Representatives of the Republic of Cape Verde that were are the meeting included: the Honorary Consul of Cape Verde in Macao, Mr David Chow Kam Fai; the wife of the former president of Cape Verde, Adélcia Pires; and the President of the Cape Verde-China Friendship Association, Mr José Correia.