50 protocols signed on the first day.
The “22nd Macao International Trade and Investment Fair” (22nd MIF) and “2017 Portuguese-speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao)” (2017 PLPEX) opened today (19th) at The Venetian Macao, congregating senior government officials, entrepreneurs and businesspeople from Macao, Mainland China, Portuguese-speaking Countries, countries and regions along the “Belt and Road”, European countries and the United States gathered in Macao for this grand occasion. On the first day, a total of 200 matching sessions were conducted in the Business Matching Area and 50 agreements were signed in the Signing Centre.
Officiating guests at the opening ceremony of 22nd MIF and 2017 PLPEX included: Chief Executive of Macao SAR Chui Sai On, Deputy Director-General of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR Yao Jian, Acting Commissioner of Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Wang Dong, Governor of Niassa of Mozambique Arlindo Chilundo, President of Legislative Assembly of Macao SAR Ho Iat Seng, Deputy Minister of State of Ministry Commerce of Cambodia OUK Prachea, Secretary of Regional Planning and Integration of Guinea Bissau José Biai, Secretary of State for Internalisation of Portugal Eurico Brilhante Dias, Vice Governor of Jiangsu Provincial People's Government Chen Zhenning, Member of CPC Leadership Group of People’s Government of Guangdong Province Chen Yunxian, Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macao SAR Leong Vai Tac, Vice-Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce Su Zhi Gang, Head of Delegation of Partner Country Angola and Ambassador of Angola in China João Garcia Bires, On behalf of José da Silva Gonçalves, Minister of Economy and Employment of Cape Verde, Ambassador of Cape Verde in China Tânia Romualdo, Vice-Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Zhang Wei, President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute Jackson Chang, Secretary-General of Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) Xu Yingzhen, President of Cantagalo District Chamber of São Tomé and Príncipe Paulo Jorge de Carvalh, Ambassador of Guinea-Bissau in China Malam Sambu, Ambassador of Portugal in China Jorge Torres-Pereira, Ambassador of Timor Leste in China Bendito Freitas, Minister Counselor of Embassy of the Republic of Mozambique in China António Rodrigues José, Director of Economic Affairs Department of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR Liu Bin, Advisor to President for Economy and Finance and Diplomat of São Tomé and Príncipe Engrácio do Sacramento Soares da Graça, and Head of Trade and Investment Promotion Section of Embassy of Brazil in China Igor Carneiro.
The Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macao SAR, Leong Vai Tac, noted in his speech that the Macao SAR Government has been in recent years dedicated to promoting the growth and development of emerging industries, including the “meeting-and-conference-orientated” MICE industry in order to accelerate the pace of moderate economic diversification. A number of established MICE events have been and will be held continually, not only enrich the content of Macao’s MICE industry, but also serve as the bridge linking Macao and Mainland provinces and regions internally as well as Portuguese-speaking Countries and countries and regions along the “Belt and Road” externally. Furthermore, there will be a dozen large meetings and conferences organised in Macao, ranging from thousands to ten thousand attendants. According to the 13th edition of the annual report on the Trade Fair Industry in Asia, published by Union of International Fairs (UFI), Macao was one of the trade fair markets with the best performance in the region over the past five years, which fully demonstrated UFI’s recognition of the development of Macao’s MICE industry.
This year, MIF is, once again, themed “Co-operation – Key to Business Opportunities”, with more than 1,500 booths, attracting enterprises and organisations from over 50 countries and regions participating in MIF. For the first time, MIF has invited Angola and Guangdong as its “Partner Country” and “Partner Province” respectively. PLPEX is staged as unique event this year in order to provide supplementary platform for showcasing and promoting Portuguese-speaking Countries products and services, facilitate China and Portuguese-speaking Countries to strengthen business and trade collaboration and further enhance the role of Macao as a Business and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. It is hoped that the concurrent events of MIF and PLPEX will have a cumulative impact, integrating the elements of Macao’s MICE industry, Sino-Portuguese trade and service platform and “Belt and Road” initiative to generate greater effects.
On the first day, a total of 200 matching sessions were conducted in the Business Matching Area, of which 37 were related to Portuguese-speaking Countries, including Angola, Brazil and Portugal. In respect of signings, MIF has conducted 50 agreements signed in the Signing Centre, covering co-operation agreements between government and associations, project agreements in agriculture, tourism, sport, education, online marketing, product manufacturing, agency and repackaging. Of these signings, five agreements were in relation to Portuguese-speaking Countries, involving government agencies, business associations and enterprises.
On the second day (20th), a number of fascinating forums and conferences will come forth, namely, “Cambodia Trade, Investment & Tourism Development Forum”, “China and Portuguese Speaking Countries SMEs Investment and Trade Matchmaking Event”, “Lecture: How to Assist Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Products enter into the Chinese Market”, “Belt and Road- Roundtable Meeting for MICE Alliance of Pan-Pearl River Delta Cities”, “14th World Summit of Chinese Entrepreneurs”, and “Economic Forum – Sustainable Cities”.
MIF and PLPEX are open to professional visitors on 19th October and to the public on 20th and 21st October. From 20th to 21st October, free shuttle bus services will be provided between the exhibition venue and several locations in the northern district, central and Taipa to encourage green commuting. For any enquiries, please call +853-28828711(22nd MIF) and 853-87989611/ 87989668 (2017PLPEX), or visit the official MIF website www.mif.com.mo and PLPEX www.plpex.mo for further details.
