Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, who yesterday was on the third day of his four-day working visit to Portugal, separately met with two ministers in Lisbon yesterday, according to reports from Macau news media covering Sam’s working visit.
Sam visited the Ministry of Justice yesterday morning (local time) where he met with Minister of Justice Rita Júdice. Both exchanged views on judicial and legal matters concerning both sides.
Afterwards, Sam visited the Ministry of Economy and Territorial Cohesion yesterday afternoon (local time) where he met with Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion Manuel Castro Almeida, according to the reports.
Both meetings were also attended by Sam’s chief-of-cabinet Chan Chak, and Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Yang Yirui, according to the reports.
Yesterday morning’s meeting was also attended by Macau Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam, while yesterday afternoon’s meeting was also attended by Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) President Che Weng Keong, according to the reports.
Business conference aims to promote China-Portugal cooperation
Meanwhile, a business and investment promotion conference for enterprises from Macau, the Chinese mainland, and Portugal was held in Lisbon yesterday morning (local time).
The conference, called Macau-Portugal Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Seminar, was organised by the MSAR government’s Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), which is leading a business delegation comprising about 120 senior representatives from enterprises in Macau, Hengqin, and various other areas in the Chinese mainland, as part of Sam’s working visit to Portugal and Spain.
About 300 business representatives and government officials from Macau, the Chinese mainland including Hengqin, and Portugal attended the business conference, which was held at MEO Arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena in Lisbon.
Addressing the business conference, according to reports from Macau news media covering Sam’s working visit, Che noted that as a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese‑speaking countries, Macau benefits from a continental European legal system compatible with Portugal, a low tax regime, and a well‑developed financial system, enabling Macau to be the preferred gateway for Chinese mainland enterprises seeking to expand into Portuguese‑speaking markets, as well as an excellent window for Portuguese companies entering the Chinese mainland market.
Moreover, as a core city in the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Macau offers convenient access to a vast market in the Chinese mainland, Che said.
Also addressing the conference, Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency (AICEP) CEO Madalena Oliveira e Silva said that Portugal expects to attract projects from the Chinese mainland and Macau that could bring strength, influence, productivity, technology, and quality-job creation, thereby promoting economic transformation in Portugal. She said that Portugal also expects the launch of new policies and measures that could help Portuguese companies and products enter the Chinese market.
Cao Jinfeng, a deputy director of the executive committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, also addressed the conference. He said that Hengqin will organise a sci-tech innovation competition this year for individuals and companies from Portugal and Spain, with a stronger emphasis on projects from the two countries in areas such as big health, green energy, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI), cultural tourism, and modern agriculture.
Cao is also the president of the board of the Service Centre for Economy and Trade between China and Portuguese/Spanish-speaking Countries in Hengqin.
According to the reports, 43 business cooperation agreements were signed during yesterday’s conference between enterprises from Portugal and China comprising those from Macau and the Chinese mainland including Hengqin, covering various fields such as sci-tech, conference and exhibition, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and big health.
Today, Sam is slated to meet with President António Seguro, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and other senior representatives of the Portuguese Republic before departing to Madrid later in the today. His four-nation, 9-day European tour will also include visits to Geneva and Brussels.
Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (left) and Portugal’s Minister of Justice Rita Júdice pose for a photo on the sidelines of their meeting in Lisbon yesterday morning (local time). – Photos courtesy of TDM
Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (left) shakes hands with Portugal’s Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion Manuel Castro Almeida on the sidelines of their meeting in Lisbon yesterday afternoon (local time).
