The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, met with the Vice Minister of Commerce, Mr Jiang Yaoping, to exchange view on enhancing the level of internationalisation of the convention and exhibition industry.

Mr Chui also extended a warm welcome to Mr Jiang and his entourage, who were in Macao to take part in the third China Catering Expo, co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the MSAR Government.

According to international experience, the convention and exhibition industry is one of the important industries, and would help Macao diversify its economy moderately. Therefore, Mr Chui said, the Government had high priority in the development of the industry.

Following the establishment of some large-scale integrated tourism facilities in recent years, the hardware was good enough for large-scale convention projects.

Mr Chui said he believed Macao’s convention industry might get a further boost to international level with the support from the Central Government and the Ministry of Commerce.

Mr Jiang thanked the MSAR Government’s for its support in organising the third China Catering Expo and said he believed the Expo would achieve success.

He said the Expo might provide an opportunity for Macao and mainland catering industries to exchange experience, this would also help to enhance the catering industry towards internationalisation.

They also talked of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries, which would celebrate its 10th anniversary next year.

Mr Chui said Macao would strengthen co-operation and exchange with the Portuguese-speaking countries and the Romance language-speaking countries next year.

Meanwhile, Mr Jiang said that during his overseas visits he had learned that the Portuguese-speaking countries generally agreed that the Forum had served as a important platform, and that he was confident in Macao’s development.

The third China Catering Expo, hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Macao SAR Government, is being held from 21-23 September. It is a high-quality branded and professional exhibition with objectives to disseminate the Chinese food culture, build up branded catering enterprises, provide innovative development direction to the catering sector and strengthen international exchange and business co-operation in the food and beverage industry.