CE meets with Director-General of WTO in Geneva

Government Information Bureau

2026-04-24 12:19

The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, arrives in Geneva, Switzerland, and visits the World Trade Organization (WTO) to meet with WTO Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, meets with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, meets with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in Geneva, Switzerland.
A group photograph of the Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and respective delegation during a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, is greeted on arrival at Geneva airport by Permanent Representative of China and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland,Mr Jia Guide, and China's Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the World Trade Organization, Ms Li Yongjie.

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The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, met with the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday (23 April) in the afternoon local time, on the third stop of his European tour. The two officials exchanged views on strengthening Macao’s role in multilateral trade, enhancing its functions as a platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and on promoting trade links between China and WTO member states, especially Portuguese-speaking countries.

During the meeting, Mr Sam expressed his gratitude to the WTO for its long-standing support and assistance to the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) in participating in multilateral economic and trade activities. He stated that as a founding member of the WTO, Macao, China has long been actively involved in, and supportive of, endeavours concerning the multilateral trading system. The Macao Economic and Trade Office to the WTO, based in Geneva, has maintained close working contact with the WTO Secretariat, Mr Sam noted. At the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference held in March, the Macao, China delegation expressed its views on the development direction of the multilateral trading system and explicitly supported incorporating the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement into the WTO framework.

Mr Sam also shared with the WTO Director-General information on the latest developments in Macao, pointing out that the MSAR Government is fully implementing the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important speeches and instructions. He said Macao will strive to leverage advantages of the “One country, two systems” principle, expand external exchanges and cooperation, and promote the development of "One Centre, One Platform, and One Base" and "One Highland". This is to enable Macao to integrate better into the national development strategy, and enhance Macao's role in the country's opening-up to the outside world, he said.

The Chief Executive said Macao will continue to support fully the WTO's work in maintaining and promoting the multilateral trading system, and will continue to explore the issue of the integration of small economies into the multilateral trading system. He issued a heartfelt invitation to the Director-General to visit Macao to see firsthand the remarkable economic and social development that Macao has achieved since its return to the motherland.

Ms Okonjo-Iweala extended a warm welcome to the Chief Executive. She said as a founding member of the WTO, Macao, China has actively supported the organisation in carrying out its various work. The WTO Secretariat and the Macao Economic and Trade Office to the WTO have maintained close links. She said she was pleased to hear Macao’s opinions at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference. She pointed out that the current global situation, mired in difficulties and challenges, is complex and volatile. She expressed her hope that Macao and the WTO will continue to work together to advance various initiatives that are meant to benefit multilateral trade.

She expressed gladness regarding Macao's continuous achievements since its return to the motherland. She acknowledged Macao's ongoing important role as a platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. She said it is her wish to see more Portuguese-speaking countries joining the WTO with the help of the MSAR.

She also expressed her hope that Macao will further support the development of relevant special funds of the WTO to give greater support to small economies integrating into the multilateral trading system. In response, Mr Sam said the MSAR Government will provide active support. With its successful experience as a small economy, Macao can play a significant role in this regard and contribute positively to the relevant work of the WTO, he stated.

Also present at the meeting were: the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Chan Kak; the Director of the Macao Economic and Trade Office to the World Trade Organization, Ms Lúcia Abrantes dos Santos; Deputy Director-General of the WTO, Mr Zhang Xiangchen; and the Chief of Staff to the Director-General of the WTO, Mr Bright Okogu.