The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, exchanged views today with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Cui Tiankai, on the opening up Macao’s external relations and strengthen co-operation with Portuguese-speaking countries.

The meeting was held at the Government Headquarter where the Chief Executive briefed Mr Cui on the latest development of the Macao SAR.

According to the country’s overall development plan, Macao is dedicated to build up as a world leisure tourism centre and a service trading platform for China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, said Mr Chui.

These policies would further provide Macao with more opportunities to work with other region or countries in terms of trading and tourism, in turn creating more need for external affairs contacts.

Mr Chui said that in this case, the support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in Macao would be valuable, and the Macao Government will keep close contact and enhance exchanges with the Office.

The Vice Minister said was visiting Macao again after three years and was happy to see that Macao has achieved an impressive development, and the thorough implementation of “One country, two systems” principle after the establishment of Macao SAR.

He said the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in Macao would support Macao to expand external relation with other nations, to hold international conferences and to protect Macao residents who are in other countries.

The Ministry would co-ordinate Macao to develop as a world leisure tourism centre and a service trading platform for China and the Portuguese-speaking countries.

The Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in Macao, Mr Hu Zhengyue, the Director-general of the Department for the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Zhan Yongxin, the Director of the Policy Research Department of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in Macao, Mr Xin Juming, the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Florida Chan, the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Tam Chon Weng, the Secretary-General of the Executive Council, Ms O Lam were also present in the meeting.