Premier Li Keqiang announced yesterday that China has put forward 18 new measures, including offering aid and preferential loans, to boost relations with Portuguese-speaking countries (PSCs) in the next three years.
China will offer aid and preferential loans worth at least 4 billion yuan to PSCs in Asia and Africa, Li said.
He made the announcement at the opening ceremony of the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries at the Macau Asian Games Dome in Cotai.
At least 2 billion yuan in aid will be given to help develop agriculture, facilitate trade and investment, prevent and control malaria, and conduct research on traditional medicine in these countries.
At least 2 billion yuan in preferential loans will be offered to promote industrial production capacity co-operation and infrastructure development in these countries.
In addition, China will cancel 500 million yuan of debt matured from its interest-free loans to the underdeveloped PSCs in Asia and Africa attending the forum.
Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique are the African PSCs attending the forum. East Timor is the only PSC in Asia.
China also pledged to send more medical teams, offer training programs and government scholarships, and help PSCs from the forum that need to build marine meteorological facilities to respond to disasters and climate change.
China encourages domestic businesses to establish new or upgrade existing economic and trade co-operation zones in PSCs, and it supports the establishment of a China-PSCs financial service platform, an entrepreneurs’ association, cultural exchange center, bilingual talent training base and youth innovation and start-up center in Macau, according to the package.
The Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and PSCs was launched in Macau in 2003 with the participation of seven PSCs, namely Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and East Timor.
China is willing to build more substantial economic and trade ties and develop long-term stable and sound partnerships with PSCs, Li said.
China and PSCs account for 17 percent of the global economy and 22 percent of the world population, and their common interests and need for mutual support are increasing, said Li.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative accords with the development plans of many PSCs, Li said, noting that both China and PSCs are located along the world’s major international shipping routes.
Bilateral relations between China and PSCs are at their best period in history, said Li, pointing to the fact that trade between the two sides amounted to almost US$100 billion last year.
Over the next five years, China’s total imports are expected to reach US$8 trillion, with total outbound investment of US$720 billion and more than 600 million in outbound travel, meaning huge business opportunities for companies from all countries, including PSCs, said Li.
Companies from PSCs have set up nearly 1,000 enterprises in China. China’s investment in PSCs amounts to almost US$50 billion, and China’s contracted projects in PSCs are valued more than US$90 billion, according to Li.
China is willing to make full use of the financing platforms such as the Silk Road Fund and the China-PSCs Co-operation and Development Fund to carry out a raft of important projects as soon as possible, Li said.
Both sides should also enhance personnel exchanges, said the premier, adding that China plans to grant more members of the forum Approved Destinations Status for outbound Chinese tourist groups.
Li called on both sides to make good use of Macau as a service platform for strengthening co-operation in various fields.
The two-day ministerial conference in Macau was attended by leaders and senior officials of the seven PSCs, including four prime ministers. The forum and Macau will play a more important role in boosting closer co-operation between China and PSCs, local officials said.
A complex for the China-PSCs co-operation platform will be built in Nam Van to provide services in trade talks, trade shows and cultural exhibitions and exchanges. The facility is set to become a new landmark for bilateral co-operation, the officials said.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said Macau had the potential to become an information-sharing platform for business co-operation and bilingual talent, a logistics center for commodities from PSCs and a service center for small and medium-sized enterprises.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative can strengthen economic ties with PSCs, and Portugal is willing to participate in building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Costa said.
Mozambican Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario said much progress had been made in human resources development, technological assistance and investment within the framework of the forum.
– Xinhua, MPD
Premier Li Keqiang delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries at the Macau East Asian Games Dome in Cotai yesterday morning. – Xinhua
