The “Seminar on Trade in Services between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries” was held on June 1 at MGM Macau. It was jointly organised by the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), a body also known as Forum Macao, and by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), with support from the Business Federation of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.
The main topics of the Seminar were regional cooperation and trade opportunities in the service sector. A range of participants exchanged views on how to enter the service sector in the vast Guangdong-Macao-Hong Kong Greater Bay Area, by using the advantages of Macao’s “Platform” role regarding promotion of economic and trade cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries. The Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Ms Xu Yingzhen, and Brazil Deputy Minister of Commerce and Services, Mr Douglas Finardi Ferreira, took part in the Seminar, delivering welcoming speeches to fellow attendees.
Trade in services is currently an important driver of regional economic growth, actively promoting the creation of economic partnerships with mutual benefits and gains. The development of the services sector plays a fundamental role in boosting economic and trade cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries.
The Seminar was regarded as the most important event held by Forum Macao since the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao. Its main topic was promotion of sustainable development in the services and trade sectors of the Forum Macao Members’ respective economies. The goal was to make the most of the historic opportunity created by the “Belt and Road” initiative – which aims at promoting trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation, in an atmosphere of openness, inclusiveness, balance and mutual benefit – and to make use of the specific advantages of Macao as a cooperation platform, Such effort is all aimed at enabling participation in, and support for, the implementation of the “Belt and Road” initiative and to promote cooperation on trade in services between Mainland China, Macao and Portuguese-speaking Countries, as well as to facilitate exploration of the vast Guangdong-Macau-Hong Kong Greater Bay Area market.
In her speech, Secretary-General Ms Xu expressed hope that the Seminar would promote cooperation on trade in services between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries, while simultaneously allowing all sides involved in Forum Macao to enjoy the chance – based on the progress made during the past 15 years – to explore new areas for cooperation on trade in services, and to search for new ideas to boost development within the framework of the economic and trade exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, as well as to look for fresh cooperation opportunities.
Deputy Minister Mr Ferreira said in his speech that the Brazilian Government treasured the Forum Macao platform and hoped that competitiveness in services and existing close ties between companies in Forum Macao countries could be strengthened, while effectively promoting the development of firms trading in services.
Ms Glória Batalha Ung, Executive Director of IPIM and Deputy Secretary-General of Forum Macao, presided over the Seminar. She exchanged views – with guests from the Macao Government and from service sectors covering finance, export trading, the law, and entities acting as intermediaries via staff bilingual in Portuguese and Chinese – on how to expand investment opportunities in relation to Portuguese-speaking Countries, and make the most of the specific advantages of Macao’s “Platform” role in linking China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.
The Seminar participants also discussed the development trends of trade in services between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. They additionally exchanged views on trends regarding innovation and ways to boost cooperation on trade in services in order to promote economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; and mechanisms to encourage companies from those countries to explore the vast Greater Bay Area market.
Government officials from Mainland China, Portuguese-speaking Countries and Macao joined the Seminar, along with a further 100 participants, including representatives from the Business Federation of China, some from Portuguese Speaking Countries, and business people from several sectors, including services and finance.
