When it comes to Portuguese-speaking countries’ trading partners, China holds a very significant position, a trade official from Mozambique’s Investment and Exports Promotion Agency (APIEX) said in Macao on Thursday.
“China is the main strategic partner for all the Portuguese-speaking countries,” Francisco Matanganhete told Macao News on the sidelines of the inaugural China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Expo (Macao) – abbreviated from its Portuguese name as C-PLPEX.
The event has had a strong response, with mainland China reopening its borders earlier this year after a three-year-long self-imposed isolation from the rest of the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Matanganhete added.
“China has a good relationship with Mozambique and other Portuguese-speaking countries, so this is an opportunity to strengthen our relationships and reconnect our good cooperation,” said Matanganhete, who last visited mainland China before the pandemic.
With mainland China reopening to the world, he underlined, “It is time to return to business and reopen the opportunities to continue making businesses between all the Portuguese-speaking countries and China.”
[See more: New Chinese-built centre to promote art and culture in Mozambique]
C-PLPEX is being held concurrently with Macao’s two major trade shows, the 28th Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF) and 2023 Macao Franchise Expo (MFE), at the Venetian’s Cotai Expo from yesterday through Sunday.
APIEX is one of over 1,200 exhibitors participating in all three trade shows – around 260 are from Portuguese-speaking countries – which occupy a total area of 37,000 square metres, featuring more than 2,000 booths across 20 exhibition zones.
With the size of the expos, Matanganhete and his team expect to form a lot of partnerships with various entities from China and other Portuguese-speaking countries during the four-day event.
“I think there’s a big opportunity to get partnerships here,” he said.
Also eyeing for opportunities in China is a Portuguese pastry company, whose representative Anabela Silva said, “We do developments with our pastry products based on our clients’ requirements, and here we’re trying to figure out what this region wants and if there’s a market for us.”
[See more: Sino-Lusophone trade showed a slight yearly declined for the first five months of 2023]
She added that by joining the C-PLPEX, her company would get the “exposure” it needed to grow and expand. “This event would help us connect with China, learn a little bit more about the culture here and how we can adapt a little bit, and hopefully, have a [business opportunity] here.”
Chan Ka Kei, secretary of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Brazil – China of Macau, said the three expos act as a platform for all the participants to promote business opportunities between China and other countries.
“These events also help connect Macao with the world in terms of economy,” she added.
While C-PLPEX focuses on China and Portuguese-speaking countries, MIF and MFE are more global in scope.
MIF was first held in 1996 and MFE was launched 15 years ago.
Organised by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, the three events will be open to both trade visitors and the public from today.
