Macau, China, 13 Nov – The prime minister of China, Wen Jiabao Saturday in Macau said that the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries had strengthened exchange and cooperation, particularly in terms of the economy and trade, between Macau and the Portuguese-speaking countries.
"The Macau SAR government should continue to give full play to its advantages, provide good services for the implementation of the goals of the Forum, and make the Forum a bridge for the business exchanges and friendly cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries," he said in his speech at the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries which is due to end Sunday in Macau.
Wen Jiabao also noted that, “past progress shows that the Forum is both a bridge for cooperation and a bridge for friendship. It has not only produced real economic benefits for both sides, but also brought China and the Portuguese-speaking countries closer(…) and enhanced amicable ties between our countries.”
“The Chinese government gives full support to economic exchanges and trade between Macau and the Portuguese-speaking countries and encourages Chinese companies to pursue various forms of exchanges and cooperation with their counterparts from those countries via the platform of Macau," he said.
Wen Jiabao also noted that, “thanks to the Forum, economic and trade ties between Macau and the Portuguese-speaking countries have also been strengthened. Macau has signed MOUs on financial cooperation with most of the Portuguese-speaking countries (…) and commodities from Macau have entered the markets of the EU, South America and Africa through these countries. Some companies from the Portuguese-speaking countries have set up factories in Macau, where they process imported coffee from Brazil, and Timor Leste and then export the products to China’s mainland under the preferential policies of CEPA, reaping handsome returns."
The Chinese prime minister also said: “the government of the Macau Special Administrative Region fully supports the development of the Forum and supports the Forum in carrying various economic and trade activities. It has taken active steps to train professionals in financial and tourism management and continuously increased scholarships for the Portuguese-speaking countries." (MacauNews)
