The IIICF Steering Committee convened its third working meeting in Macao today (21 July). The meeting was co-chaired by Assistant Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China Ren Hongbin and Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region Lei Wai Nong.

Building a bridge for greater regional synergy

In his speech, Assistant Minister Ren Hongbin said that the convening of the 11^th IIICF last year demonstrated to the world the substantial strategic results achieved by Mainland China and Macao in coordinating epidemic prevention and control. He suggested that in the future the IIICF Steering Committee seize the huge historic opportunities brought by the country’s accelerated construction of a new development pattern, strengthen the IIICF’s role in the larger picture of national development, and at the same time assist with the cultivation of new strengths of Macao in the period of economic transition, so as to contribute to the long-term socio-economic prosperity and stability in Macao. He also proposed to promote the cross-sector integration of Macao’s MICE industry and other industries, to enrich and develop the “MICE +” industrial chain, and to better support the moderately diversified economic development in Macao.

Secretary Lei Wai Nong noted in his speech that in the face of complex and ever-changing new circumstances, it is significant to reinforce the role of infrastructure in supporting the recovery of the global economy in the post-COVID-19 era. The pandemic has not impeded the progress of the IIICF; instead, by virtue of the role of Macao as a platform at the intersection of the county’s “dual economic circulation”, IIICF will serve as a bridge to connect the markets of Portuguese-speaking countries, countries along the Belt and Road routes and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, in order to forge greater regional synergy and interconnectivity in production supply and demand and for them to share development achievements. In line with the country’s development strategy in the new era, Macao will ramp up efforts to propel the development of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Co-operation Zone in Hengqin to bolster the recovery of the local economy while contributing to the opening-up and high-quality development of the country.

Exploring new ways for the IIICF and improving the global influence of Macao

According to Chairman of the China International Contractors Association Fang Qiuchen, despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 11^th IIICF was successfully held in 2020 thanks to the planning and huge effort made by the IIICF Steering Committee. This year’s IIICF will once again function as an annual gala for the international infrastructure sector to send a message of China’s steadfast support for international infrastructure co-operation in the post-COVID-19 era, demonstrate Macao’s achievements in the battle against the pandemic and its rapid socio-economic development, and contribute to Macao’s MICE industry and moderate economic diversification. In the following five years, the IIICF Steering Committee will remain committed to exploring new ways to promote the development of the IIICF, unceasingly improving its work mechanisms and services, and incorporating more Macao elements to continuously increase the global influence of Macao and contribute to the construction of the “Belt and Road”.

In his speech, President of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute Lau Wai Meng remarked that under the leadership of the Steering Committee, the 12^th IIICF, in light of the international circumstances in the post-COVID-19 era, will further diversify Macao elements, provide more solid support for Macao to participate in the construction of the “Belt and Road” and promote its moderate economic diversification, and endorse all parties in their participation in the construction of the Belt and Road based on the role of Macao as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and its financial services. In addition, this year’s IIICF will be available both online and offline and is expected to improve the global influence of Macao’s MICE activities. Over the years, local industries such as the construction sector have made the best of this international event to establish closer co-operation with their domestic and foreign partners and explore more room for development, helping Macao companies “go global” to expand their markets.

Participants of this meeting included representatives of the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao S.A.R., the Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), the Secretariat for Economy and Finance of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the Policy Research and Regional Development Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the China International Contractors Association, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, and the Supporting Office to the Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao).