The three-day 17th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum & Exhibition (IIICF) opened to the public yesterday at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, aiming to serve as a platform for promoting Chinese infrastructure brands in the international market.
According to a statement released yesterday by the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), the event features over 250 thematic and supporting activities. The exhibition space covers 8,000 square metres and has attracted more than 80 exhibitors, 20 per cent of whom are first-time participants, the statement said.
Yesterday, IPIM organised a media tour to interview two exhibitors and two ministers.
Francisco da Costa Monteiro, Timor-Leste’s minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, told reporters he hopes to use the platform to establish connections with China and other countries in the field of strategic infrastructure, as well as to learn about new technologies, equipment, and investment opportunities.
He added that the Timor-Leste government is advancing major projects under its Strategic Development Plan for the South Coast, including a supply base in Suai city and a highway. Some of these projects are already under discussion with major Chinese companies for potential collaboration, with the aim of exchanging experience and expertise, Monteiro said.
Timor-Leste, which has 1.3 million inhabitants, is the official Portuguese name of East Timor, a former Portuguese colony which regained its independence in May 2002. Portuguese and Tetum are its official languages.
Juan Anthony Edghill, minister of Public Works of Guyana, told reporters that Chinese companies have participated in a wide range of local projects, including roads, bridges, hospitals, and renewable energy, and that their engineering efficiency and quality have been highly recognised.
Through technology transfer, he said, Chinese companies have also contributed to local development. Edghill commended the forum for providing a platform to connect with senior management personnel. He added that he was deeply impressed by the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, noting the great potential for cooperation in the fields of technology and digitalisation.
Guyana has a population of nearly one million. English is its official language. It gained its independence from the UK in 1966.
Misa Chan (陳美莎), sales manager of Macau Digit Force Technology Co., Ltd., told reporters that the company is showcasing three AI products at the exhibition: a spatial intelligence agent called Athpace Spatial Intelligence, an intelligent community intercom system, and an all-digital intelligent lift intercom system.
The products which focus on specific niche scenarios, can perform self-diagnostics and predictive maintenance, and have already been installed in more than 3,000 buildings across the Chinese mainland, she said. The company has a branch office in Brazil and hopes to use international platforms such as this exhibition to connect with overseas clients and address the challenge of a shortage of research and development (R&D) personnel, Chan added.
Roy Ba (巴都呼), general manager of the French Haulotte Group, told reporters that the company is taking part in the forum for the first time. He explained that the company specialises in battery-powered elevating work platforms (EWPs), which feature zero noise, zero emissions, and zero pollution, and offer the EWP industry’s only five-year warranty.
The company already has distributors in Hong Kong, Macau, and elsewhere in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), and hopes to use the forum to connect with more international clients to jointly promote the development of green infrastructure, Ba said.
Timor-Leste Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Francisco da Costa Monteiro speaks to reporters at the 17th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum & Exhibition (IIICF) at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expoyesterday. – Photos: Armindo Neves
Guyana Public Works Minister Juan Anthony Edghill speaks to reporters at the IIICF venue yesterday.
