The “Summit on the Chinese Central SOEs’ Support of Macao in the Building of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Co-operation Platform” took place today (31 May) in Macao. The Summit was hosted by the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) and was organised by the Secretariat for Economy and Finance of the MSAR, with the support of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC), and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR. The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute was co-organiser of the event.

The Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, Chui Sai On, stated in his speech that the Summit was a brand-new platform that more closely connected Chinese central state-owned enterprises (SOEs) with enterprises in Macao and Portuguese-speaking Countries. With the strong support of the Central Government, the MSAR Government is contributing positively to and participating in the construction of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and other projects. The MSAR is also carefully integrating its efforts on these matters with development of the city’s position as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure and its role as a Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

The Summit fully reflects the Central Government’s recognition of and support for the construction of a platform between Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, as well as the promotion of the moderate diversification of Macao’s economic development. In this new era, when China’s “Belt and Road” initiative has been fully implemented and Macao is expediting the construction of a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, there is immense room for co-operation between Mainland China’s SOEs, the MSAR Government and various sectors of industry and business. By utilising the platform function of Macao, the integration of the strong capabilities of SOEs with the unique advantages of Macao, creates opportunities for collaboration between SOEs and Macao enterprises in order to jointly explore international markets, and strengthen the two-way international investment and trade co-operation. In the meantime, the MSAR is taking the initiative to provide services for the industrial and commercial sectors in Portuguese-speaking Countries, assisting them to build partnerships with Mainland China’s SOEs, striving for a new chapter of co-operation in facilitating the flow of trade, financial intermediation and communication between peoples, so as to promote the moderate diversification of Macao’s economy and sustainable development.

The Secretary of the Party Committee of the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), Hao Peng, said during Wednesday’s Summit that – as a result of orientations by the Central Government, jointly implemented by SASAC, SOEs and the MSAR Government – the aim of the event is to promote international co-operation for mutually-beneficial development. It is important for further consolidating and deepening such collaboration and further enhance the development of economic and social development in Macao. Such activities also strengthened, improved and enlarged SOEs. At the same time, SOEs were strengthening efforts to expand in overseas markets, via a number of projects of great significance, often involving work that they helped to create in Portuguese-speaking Countries an outstanding image for SOEs. The SOEs will seize the historic opportunities of the “Belt and Road” initiative, and follow the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, in a bid to take to a higher level – and in broader range – the strategic co-operation with Macao and the Portuguese-speaking Countries. This would in turn help to make a brand-new contribution to Macao’s long-term prosperity and stability.

The Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Wang Zhimin, stated during the Summit that it was highly significant for the SASAC to be supporting the MSAR Government in its hosting of the Summit, which would help facilitate Macao’s sustained and diversified economic development, as well as its long-term prosperity and stability. He believed the SOEs would further showcase their advantages in industrial innovation, capital, human resources and depth of networks, as well as showing their ability deeply to integrate their efforts with those unique advantages possessed by Macao, in terms of its location, system and social environment. All these factors would promote Macao’s position and role as a commercial and trade co-operation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

Portugal’s Secretary of State of Internationalization, Jorge Costa Oliveira, stated at the event that, in taking a key role on the global stage, China was an important partner for Portugal. He not only recognised Macao’s potential as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, but also hoped Portugal could assist the MSAR Government in strengthening its platform function and assist Portuguese-speaking Countries to enter markets in Macao and Mainland China. The Portuguese business delegation to the Summit included banks, other financial institutions and credit enterprises. It is believed they will have a role in providing a variety of services and making a range of contributions to the platform.

The Summit included a contract-signing ceremony, where seven co-operation agreements and memorandums were concluded, including collaboration projects involving enterprises from Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Portugal, Mainland China’s SOEs and Macao companies, covering the electricity power sector, railways, tourism, finance and highway construction.

In addition, during the discussion sessions, representatives from SOEs, Portuguese-speaking Countries and local enterprises shared their opinions on several topics, including: “How to strengthen collaboration with Portuguese-speaking Countries under the ‘Belt and Road’ framework” and “how to utilise Macao’s function as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, to assist Mainland China and Macao enterprises to ‘go out’”. Participants believed great importance should be attached to Macao’s platform function, further indicating that Macao would become increasingly important as a connection point between SOEs and Portuguese-speaking Countries for the launch of further co-operation projects in Portuguese-speaking Countries.