Delegates from Forum Macau travel to Beijing on Sunday to meet with ambassadors of Portuguese-speaking countries and Chinese officials.
Led by Secretary-General Ji Xianzheng, the delegates will discuss the agenda of the Forum’s ordinary meeting, slated for Macao in March, as well as activities planned for 2023.
Speaking on Wednesday, Ji said that the organisation was due to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its founding as well as the 15th anniversary of its Cultural Week, held with the collaboration of the Macao government.
“Forum Macau is committed to promoting the advantages and potentialities of Portuguese-speaking countries in order to support the economic diversification of Macao,” he said.
Ji added that China was eager to create a favourable environment for the economic recovery of Portuguese-speaking countries in the wake of the pandemic.
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He also acknowledged the possibility of holding, in Macao in October, the sixth ministerial conference between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. The conferences have taken place every three or four years since 2003.
Initially scheduled for 2019, the sixth ministerial conference was postponed to June 2020 and then delayed further so as not to clash with ceremonies surrounding the 20th anniversary of the Special Administrative Region. The appointment of the new chief executive, and travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, saw further postponements.
Chinese authorities established Forum Macau in 2003, with Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and Timor-Leste as charter members. Later, São Tomé and Principe and Equatorial-Guinea joined the organisation.
Run under the auspices of the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM), the Forum focuses on economic and commercial development, with the objectives of consolidating business exchanges between China and lusophone countries.
