Preparations were being made to establish the Macao Business Support Center and the finance guarantee plan to aid small and medium enterprises, said the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Tam Pak Yuen.

The Macao Business Support Center will be in operation soon, said Mr. Tam, while the finance and insurance guarantee plan is in the consultation stage.

Mr. Tam said that support from the banking sector was necessary for the finance and insurance guarantee plan to be successful. Furthermore, the Government and financial institutions were now discussing the possibility of lowering the requirements for applying for financial aid. Mr. Tam added that studies would be necessary before the banking sector could decide whether mortgages were necessary or if business plans could be considered on financial applications.

The Secretary said that the Government could provide aid for small and medium enterprises in various ways. For instance, he said, the World Trade Centre and the Trade and Investment Promotion Institute could help local enterprises to explore business opportunities by providing information and contacts with their counterparts worldwide.