A welcoming dinner has been held on the eve of the opening of the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), the latter a body known as Forum Macao.

Guests attending the dinner, held at the International Convention Centre of the Macao East Asian Games Dome, included member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of the People's Republic of China, Mr Li Hongzhong, and representatives of all of the Portuguese-speaking countries.

Delivering speeches at the welcoming dinner were the Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), Mr Ho Iat Seng, and the Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Wang Wentao.

In his speech, Mr Ho said it was now 20 years since the creation of Forum Macao. Looking back over the past two decades, thanks to the strong support and incessant promotion of the Central Government and the Ministry of Commerce, the Portuguese-speaking countries, and of the successive heads of Forum Macao’s Permanent Secretariat, economic and trade cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries had achieved encouraging results, and cooperation in various sectors had been increasingly strengthened and deepened.

Forum Macao was an efficient cooperation mechanism and a good service platform that had played an important role in strengthening economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries.

At a time when the world economy was facing profound changes, solidarity, mutually beneficial cooperation and a joint response to challenges were even more important, Mr Ho added.

The Chief Executive said the 6th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao was held at a time of particular importance, with the approach of the solemn celebration for the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland.

Forum Macao’s permanent headquarters were in Macao, thus fully validating the Central Government’s strong support and confidence in Macao, and also the Portuguese-speaking countries’ common recognition and affirmation of Macao’s role as a service platform for economic and trade cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, said Mr Ho.

The MSAR Government would remain faithful in its mission to implement strictly the guidelines issued at the “Two Sessions” of the NPC and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), fully developing Macao’s advantages within the framework of the “One country, two systems” principle and supporting the country in expanding high-quality opening up to the outside world, said Mr Ho.

The 6th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao would be regarded as a starting point to: strengthen further the functions of Macao as a Sino-Lusophone platform; actively participate in and contribute to the implementation of the “Belt and Road” initiative; and promote the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Further effort would be made to push forward the development of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, advancing Macao’s role as a platform connecting China to the outside world, and always continuing to provide better services to foster exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese mainland, Macao, and the Portuguese-speaking countries, in order to achieve even more fruitful results.

Minister Wang noted in his speech there had been an eight-year gap since the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao. Now, the countries were meeting in Macao to strengthen their friendship and discuss their cooperation. On the occasion, on behalf of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, Minister Wang extended the warmest welcome to all the guests present, and emphasised his cordial thanks to friends drawn from the most diverse sectors for their continued respect for, and support of, Forum Macao.

A well-known Chinese proverb says that a partnership forged with the right approach defies distance; it is thicker than glue and stronger than metal and stone. Looking back over the past 21 years since the establishment of Forum Macao, China and the Portuguese-speaking countries had acknowledged the trends of the times. These were centred on peace and development, and adhered to the spirit of partnership that values harmony in diversity, and solidarity in joint efforts. Forum Macao had achieved significant results in continuously mobilising the potential for cooperation in diversity, deepening and jointly realising Sino-Lusophone cooperation for the economic development of the countries participating in Forum Macao.

In addition, Macao had been making good use of the institutional advantages of the “One country, two systems” principle, by promoting actively exchange and cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries in various areas, and thus increasingly strengthening Macao’s role as a Sino-Lusophone platform, said Mr Wang.

Today, changes in the world and in the times had been unfolding in an unprecedented way, and with historic significance. China had been vigorously driving forward the Chinese path to modernisation through high-quality development, which would offer a wide range of opportunities to countries around the world, including Portuguese-speaking countries, he said.

Looking ahead, China looked forward to working together with Portuguese-speaking countries, to promote partnerships and respond to challenges, taking advantage of this Ministerial Conference to raise Sino-Lusophone economic and trade cooperation to a new level, thus contributing unceasingly to realising the modernisation of all the Forum Macao member countries.

The Ministry of Commerce would continue to support Macao in developing its role as a Sino-Lusophone platform, deepening exchanges and cooperation with the participating countries and regions in Forum Macao, in order to achieve long-term prosperity and stable development for all, added Mr Wang.

Among the 850 guests attending the welcoming dinner were: Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, Mr Ho Hau Wah; Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee, Mr Zhou Ji; Deputy Secretary-General of the NPC Standing Committee, Mr Liu Junchen; and the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the MSAR, Mr Zheng Xincong.

Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Mr Li arrived in Macao around noon and had a meeting with the Chief Executive, in the afternoon.