The annual China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Think Tanks Forum, co-organised by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macau SAR and the local government, was held yesterday at the University of Macau (UM) on its Hengqin campus, themed “Achieving a Global Development Consensus, Uniting Global Modernisation Efforts”.
The forum has been held for three consecutive years.
The co-organisers invited think tank experts and scholars from eight Portuguese-speaking countries, namely Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, and Timor-Leste to the one-day forum.
The Portuguese-speaking Atlantic island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe did not attend. China and nine Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs) are members of the Macau-based Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Forum Macao).
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam pointed out in a speech that the forum is a practical path to share Chinese modernisation with Portuguese-speaking countries. O also said she hoped that Macau could be a “bond” to explore with experts how to achieve complementary advantages and mutual benefits based on respecting each country’s development path.
O added that Macau will adopt an open approach towards deepening cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries across economic, academic, institutional and cultural domains, positioning itself as a “bond for ideas”, aiming to become a suitable place for intellectual exchange and a bridge for shared experiences, promoting global modernisation through open dialogue and pragmatic cooperation.
Commissioner Liu Xianfa underlined that Macau is a “bridge” for China-Portuguese-speaking countries cooperation, and as such will capitalise on the advantages provided by its “One Centre, One Platform, One Base” concept.
Liu added that Macau is the world’s only Portuguese-speaking cultural hub with Chinese as an official language. With support from the Commissioner’s Office, Macau will amplify its connectivity linking domestic and international networks to build a high-calibre, open platform, Liu said.
Meanwhile, UM Rector Song Yonghua said in a speech that the forum’s two key topics, namely “Sharing Experiences of Modernisation in Different Countries” and “Joint Vision for the Road to Modernisation”, were focused on mutual exploration and experience-sharing of development models between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. This, Prof. Song said, creates a vital platform for deepening mutual learning and advancing collaborative progress.
* The “One Centre, One Platform, One Base” concept is a strategic development plan for Macau, outlined by the central authorities to diversify its economy beyond gaming and tourism: “One Centre” – A World Centre of Tourism and Leisure; “One Platform” – A Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries; “One Base” – A Base for Exchange and Cooperation with Chinese Culture as the Mainstream and Diverse Cultures Coexisting. – DeepSeek
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam (front, fourth from left), Foreign Ministry Commissioner Liu Xianfa (front, centre), UM Rector Song Yonghua (front, fourth from right), and other attendees including Portuguese Consul-General Alexandre Leitão (front, left) pose after yesterday’s opening ceremony of the ‘China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Think Tanks Forum’ on the campus of the public University of Macau (UM) in Hengqin. – Photo: Ida Cheong
