Addressing yesterday’s opening ceremony of this year’s Macau Industrial Products Show, Secretary for Economy and Finance Dora Ng Wai Han underlined the Macau government’s commitment to helping businesses expand markets for their “Made in Macao” products by more strongly leveraging the complementary strengths between Macau and Hengqin.
The four-day fair at the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf Convention and Exhibition Centre is on until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.
The annual Macau Industrial Products Show is organised by the Industrial Association of Macau.
In her speech, Ng said that since its inception, the Macau Industrial Products Show has preserved shared memories for many citizens while serving as a crucial platform to showcase “Made in Macao” products and promote “Macao Brand” products. Since its relaunch in 2018, she said, the fair has continuously incorporated elements such as industrial education, technological applications, and youth participation, demonstrating to the general public, particularly the younger generation, the vitality of Macau’s traditional and emerging industries and giving them a more comprehensive understanding of the development and evolution of Macau’s industrial sector.
The ongoing 12th Macau Industrial Products Show is open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. today and tomorrow, and from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Relaunch in 2018
The Macau Industrial Products Show was first held by the Industrial Association of Macau – which was founded in 1959 – in 1981, followed by editions in 1983, 1987, and 1995 – when Macau was still under temporary Portuguese administration.
After a hiatus of over two decades, the fair was relaunched in 2018. Since then, the event has been held annually at the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf Convention and Exhibition Centre, except in 2021 due to the government’s special COVID-19 curbs.
About 130 exhibitors have joined this year’s fair across 172 booths set up in eight themed zones: Macao Industrial Pavilion, Macao M-Mark and Halal Brand Enterprise Zone, Household Products Zone, Fashion Products Zone, Home Appliances Zone, Food & Beverage Zone, Food Products Zone, and Financial Services Zone.
M-Mark refers to the Macao Product Quality Certification Scheme.
In her speech, Ng noted that this year’s fair has brought together about 130 exhibitors across various exhibition zones, including the Macao Industrial Pavilion and the M-Mark products zone.
With the theme “Macao Food Heritage and Innovation”, Ng said, the Macao Industrial Pavilion also includes a dedicated exhibition area for the Macao Quality Brand Promotion Centre in Hengqin. The pavilion not only displays the research outcomes of local higher education institutions and secondary schools, but also integrates technological applications such as AI and robotics, demonstrating the new landscape of Macau’s industrial heritage and innovation and the industrial integration between Macau and Hengqin, she said.
Concerning standards and brand building, Ng said, Macau’s 3rd Five-Year Plan outlines the government’s initiatives to support businesses in expanding markets for their “Made in Macao” products. In recent years, local businesses have been vigorously promoting the M-Mark Macao Product Quality Certification and Halal certification. Through e-commerce promotion and convention and exhibition events, Macau products’ credibility and market acceptance have steadily grown, she said.
On this foundation, Ng said, the local government will place strong emphasis on technological transformation, smart manufacturing, the green transition, and brand going global, helping businesses translate their quality advantages into competitive market edges.
Ng said that the transformation and upgrading of Macau’s traditional industries require a larger supporting space, and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin serves as a key pillar to this end. Entering a new phase of development, she said, Macau should adopt a “Macau and Hengqin on one chessboard” mindset, so as to leverage Hengqin’s spatial resources and industrial conditions, harness the complementary strengths of both sides, and drive synergistic industrial growth.
While Macau’s area amounts to 33 km², Hengqin covers 106 km².
Through the “Macao Brand + Hengqin Space + Greater Bay Area MICE Resources” linkage model, Ng said, the Macau government will support businesses in establishing precise connections with both domestic and international markets for their “Made in Macao” products, opening up broader horizons for industrial transformation and upgrading.
Ng said that advancing Macau’s appropriate economic diversification requires both cultivating emerging industries and encouraging the transformation and upgrading of traditional ones. Ng said that she expects Macau businesses to seize the new opportunities arising from the Macau-Hengqin joint development, injecting new impetus into the brands, quality, and standards of “Made in Macao” products while making new contributions to Macau’s appropriate economic diversification.
In addition to Ng, yesterday morning’s opening ceremony was attended by other dignitaries including Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Macau’s first chief executive and currently a vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Central People’s Government Liaison Office in Macau Deputy Director Lyu Yuyin, Foreign Ministry Acting Commissioner Cheng Lei, and Macau Legislative Assembly (AL) President André Cheong Weng Chon.
This year’s Macau Industrial Products Show features a “Greater Bay Area Super Burger Festival” for the first time.
The Super Burger Festival for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) features burger brands from various cities across the Chinese mainland. The festival was first held in Zhongshan in December last year, followed by editions in Shenzhen in March and May this year.
The 11-member GBA consists of nine cities in Guangdong Province and the nation’s two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
After yesterday’s opening ceremony, Sam and other dignitaries visited booths and talked with exhibitors.
Sam’s blog on the fair
Meanwhile, Sam published an article on his blog on the chief executive’s official website yesterday evening. Sam said that after speaking with several business representatives, he has learnt that they are committed to adapting to the times – taking the initiative to evolve and exploring new business opportunities.
Sam said that this fully demonstrates the traditional excellence, spirit, and mindset deeply rooted in Macau’s business sector: continuous self-improvement, pioneering effort, and innovation.
Sam also said he was aware that a larger number of halal-certified product enterprises have joined the fair this year than in previous years – well prepared to seize new market opportunities. Sam said he expects the local business sector – by making good use of the platforms and support provided by the government – to secure further international certifications, continue expanding business diversification, and jointly promote Macau’s economic development.
Sam launched his blog – named Macau Marching Forward – on Thursday last week – this year’s National Day. In his article published on that day, Sam elaborated on his exchanges with some of the local students who joined a five-day trip to Beijing last month to pay tribute to the national flag.
Sam talked with these students after addressing last Thursday’s National Day reception at the Service Platform Complex for Commercial and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (aka Forum Macao Complex) in Sai Van.
Dignitaries and other guests cut the ribbon during yesterday’s opening ceremony of the 12th Macau Industrial Products Show, including Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (centre), Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Vice Chairman Edmund Ho Hau Wah (sixth from left), Central People’s Government Liaison Office Deputy Director Lyu Yuyin (sixth from right), Foreign Ministry Acting Commissioner Cheng Lei (fifth from left), Legislative Assembly (AL) President André Cheong Weng Chon (fifth from right), and Secretary for Economy and Finance Dora Ng Wai Han (fourth from left). – Photo: GCS
This photo released in yesterday’s article on his blog shows Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (centre) visiting a booth after yesterday’s opening ceremony of the 12th Macau Industrial Products Show at the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf Convention and Exhibition Centre in Nape.
