Chief Executive Edmund Ho and the Mozambican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Leornado Simã/;o today (25 September) signed the bilateral minutes on behalf of the MSAR Government and the Mozambique Government in Maputo to strengthen the bilateral relationship.

Mr. Ho continued his official visit in Mozambique. He met with the Mozambique President Joaquin Alberto Chissano, attended the signing ceremony of pharmaceuticals protocols between entrepreneurs from Macao and Mozambique.

Francis Tam, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, who accompanied the Chief Executive to Mozambique, concluded that Macao was a service platform for the west Guangdong province while Mozambique was a platform for the south of Africa, adding that both places have broad prospects for cooperation.

Mr. Tam underlined that the Mozambican Government had expressed great enthusiasm for strengthening cooperation with Macao in order to benefit and promote the joint projects between Macao and Mozambique, and for Macao businessmen to access the markets of southern Africa.

The Chief Executive attended a welcome banquet held by the Chinese Ambassador in Mozambique, Chen Duqing and was scheduled to come back to Macao in the evening of 26 September.