The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government hosted a reception on Thursday (28 May) for a delegation of Consuls General accredited to the MSAR and representatives of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Forum Macao). The event aimed to contribute to establishing Macao as a key “bridgehead” for the country’s high-level opening up to the outside world and as a vital window for exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and Western civilisations.
For the first time, an innovative format was adopted for this type of reception by featuring a promotion seminar. It aimed to comprehensively showcase to the attending Consuls General and representatives from the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao the significant achievements resulting from the successful implementation in Macao of the “One country, two systems” principle, as well as to promote the opportunities in various fields offered by Macao and the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
The promotion seminar took place in the afternoon at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex. It was attended by Consuls General and representatives from around 50 countries and international organisations based either in Hong Kong or Macao, as well as officials and representatives from the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao. Simultaneous interpretation services were provided in four languages, namely Chinese, Portuguese, English and Spanish.
Building on the exhibition organised by the MSAR Government last month in Lisbon, Portugal, showcasing the achievements of Macao’s successful implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle, the Government Information Bureau produced a video featuring the exhibition’s content, which was screened at the start of the promotion seminar. The video outlined to the guests the achievements made by the MSAR in various fields – including politics, the economy, society and people’s livelihoods – since Macao’s return to the motherland. It provided evidence that the “One country, two systems” principle possesses distinctive institutional advantages and strong vitality.
Following the video screening, representatives from the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) briefed participants about the business environment in Macao and the Cooperation Zone, highlighting their institutional advantages in areas such as tax incentives, free trade, capital mobility and the rule of law, as well as the development benefits brought about by Hengqin’s “tier-specific management” customs system. The session also reviewed the outcomes of April’s visit by the Chief Executive to Portugal, Spain and other countries in Europe, during which 46 events were held. These included high-level meetings and economic and trade promotion activities, helping China strengthen friendly relations with Portuguese-speaking countries, Spanish-speaking countries and the European Union, while facilitating cooperation between enterprises from the Chinese mainland, Macao and Europe in sectors such as high-end manufacturing, green finance and biopharmaceuticals. More than 100 cooperation agreements were signed during the visit, across multiple fields, including: China-Portugal cooperation; cooperation with Spanish-speaking markets; economic and trade relations; high-tech innovation; tourism; and exhibitions and trade fairs. These deals laid a solid foundation for the continued expansion of external economic, trade and investment cooperation between the involved parties.
The IPIM representatives also made a presentation on the Macao Science and Technology Research and Development Industrial Park project. They noted that it was positioned as a large-scale science and technology innovation base planned by the MSAR Government to align Macao’s development with the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan and advance the MSAR’s “1+4” appropriate economic diversification development strategy. It was explained that the industrial park aimed to serve as a “springboard” for Chinese-mainland enterprises to expand overseas and as an international base for industry-academia-research collaboration, attracting international research and development institutions and enterprises to establish a presence there.
The IPIM representatives also noted that construction of the Macao Pearl River West Bank International Air Transport Hub (Port) was progressing in an orderly manner. Through the facility, Macao and Hengqin would focus on sectors such as air logistics and cross-border e-commerce to provide efficient logistics services, with the aim of establishing the new infrastructure as a key international air passenger and cargo transport hub on the western shore of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
As part of the promotion seminar, a representative from the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) outlined Macao’s development plan to establish itself as “One Highland” – i.e., as a gathering place for international talent – emphasising that this represented a key strategic positioning conferred upon Macao by the central authorities. Such positioning also served as a vital pillar for promoting the appropriate diversification of Macao’s economy, while providing a broader development platform for countries and regions seeking to strengthen cooperation with Macao, thereby creating more opportunities for mutual benefit.
The DSEDJ representative also discussed Macao’s talent-attraction scheme, highlighting ongoing efforts to refine approval mechanisms and supporting policies, thereby providing a talent base to support the development of enterprises in Macao. Furthermore, the Macao International Education (University) Town, currently under construction, would help attract high-quality universities from both within and outside the region to establish joint educational programmes with higher education institutions at the University Town, creating an international education park integrating higher education, scientific research and innovation, and industry-academia collaboration.
Representatives from the Cultural Affairs Bureau briefed the guests on Macao’s achievements in building a multiple-culture exchange and cooperation base with an emphasis on Chinese culture, with particular emphasis placed on the development blueprint for the Macao International Integrated Tourism and Culture Zone. This zone was set to be developed into a high-calibre cultural space that blends cultural heritage with a contemporary vision, serving as a world-class cultural landmark and integrating cultural exhibitions, performing arts, commerce and leisure. It would aim to offer an essential platform for promoting Macao’s appropriate economic diversification and its sustainable and high-quality development, while enhancing cultural cohesion and the city’s “soft power”.
Representatives from the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) also attended the promotion seminar. They outlined the latest progress in Macao’s efforts to establish the MSAR as a “World Centre of Tourism and Leisure”, including the promotion of high-quality tourism and the development of diverse sectors such as meetings and conventions tourism, sports tourism and community-based tourism. The MGTO representatives reviewed the outcomes related to tourism-related cooperation secured during the Chief Executive’s visit to Portugal and Spain in April, noting that the involved parties had agreed to strengthen joint promotion efforts to attract more visitors to Macao. Key topics and collaborative projects for the 13th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting, which Macao will host next month, were also discussed during the promotion seminar, demonstrating to guests Macao’s capabilities and prospects in hosting high-level international conferences.
A reception was held following the promotion seminar, at which the Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the MSAR, Ms Bian Lixin, and several MSAR Government secretaries engaged in cordial exchanges with guests.
