Macau, China, 14 Nov – The 4th ministerial conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries is scheduled to take place in Macau in 2013, officials said in Macau at the end of the 3rd Ministerial Conference.
The heads of State and government present at the conference agreed on a plan of action for economic and trade cooperation for the 2010-2013 period, which aims to implement the results of the third conference and boost the partnership between the countries participating in Forum Macau.
In terms of trade, which is currently the main link for cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, the participants agreed to take measures that would lead to deepening those ties in order to increase trade to US4100 billion by 2013, a figure that was announced by the Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao, on the first day of work.
In practical terms, the ministers present agreed to create a Forum Macau database with investment opportunities in all member countries that also includes information on areas of business interest, for example administrative procedures for exports/imports, and to the Forum’s Working Group on Investment to work, under the coordination of the permanent secretariat of the Forum.
In the area of agricultural cooperation, amongst other points, it was agreed that China would assist each of the Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and Asia to carry out an agricultural project.
It was also agreed that China would train 1,500 professional and technical staff from Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and Asia and the ministers welcomed the decision from the Macau government to provide logistical and financial support for the creation, in Macau, of the Forum Macau Training Centre.
The final document praised China’s granting of loans under favourable conditions to the value of 800 million yuan (US$120 million) as part of the 2007-2009 Plan of Action and the concession of further loans to the value of 1.6 billion yuan (US$240 million) over the period of the new plan of action, 2010-2013.
The participants of the 3rd conference welcomed the support of the Macau government in carrying out the objectives of Forum Macau and manifested a wish for Macau to continue actively carrying out its role of platform to boost economic and trade cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. (Macaunews)
