The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) organised a delegation of 15 entrepreneurs from Macao to participate in the 40th Portuguese agricultural fair OVIBEJA in Beja, Portugal from 28 April to 4 May. At the Fair, nearly 40 business matching sessions were conducted between the delegation members and the local exhibitors.
In addition, IPIM signed a memorandum of co-operation with the Oeiras Valley Investment Agency to promote the trade and investment co-operation between Portugal, Macao and other cities in the Greater Bay Area.
During the trip, the delegation visited four investment projects implemented by Macao companies in Portugal, learning the current situation of Macao’s industrial and commercial sector’s project operation in Portugal.
Business Matching between Macao and Local Enterprises Expanded Economic and Trade Co-operation
Hosted by the Agricultural Chamber of Commerce of Southern Portugal (Associação de Agricultores do Sul), the Portuguese agricultural fair OVIBEJA is the largest annual exhibition for agricultural products in Portugal. During the event, a number of business matching sessions and negotiations were conducted between the delegation members and the exhibition organisers and business representatives, involving businesses related to meats, beverages and nuts. In addition, a senior management of a large supermarket group in Portugal expressed co-operation intention to a Macao distribution enterprise.
MOU Signed between IPIM and Oeiras Valley Investment Agency Promotes Joint Development through Leveraging Their Complementary Advantages
In March this year, a delegation of the Oeiras City visited Macao and met with representatives from IPIM and other Macao-Hengqin economic and trade departments to strengthen mutual contacts, exchanges and co-operation. In the trip to Portugal, the Macao delegation paid a commercial visit to the Oeiras City. IPIM and Oeiras Valley Investment Agency signed a memorandum of co-operation. According to the Memorandum, the two parties agreed to share information, establish a co-ordination mechanism to conduct in-depth co-operation, giving full play to the advantages of their regional positioning, enhancing mutual exchanges and economic exchanges, expanding the areas of co-operation, and establishing the channels of communication. During the meeting, IPIM introduced local economic and trade representatives to the latest developments of Macao-Hengqin industrial collaboration and the Greater Bay Area. The participating Portuguese trade entity expressed their interest in new co-operation opportunities and arranging another delegation visit to Macao.
Macao Enterprises Take Advantages of the China-PSC Platform to Expand Markets in Portuguese-speaking Countries
During the trip, the delegation visited four investment projects implemented by Macao companies in Portugal, including winery, husbandry manor, farm and construction companies. The delegation also met with the person-in-charge of the enterprises, which enabled them to have better understanding of local businesses and investment environment. Macao’s companies sharing of experience introduced the delegation to the latest business opportunities in Portugal.
In addition, the delegation also attended the Macao big health product launching seminar - “Portuguese Charm, Healthy Fragrance” co-organised by the Business Association for Cooperation Between Lusosphere and China (AECLC) and the China Macau Natural Aromatic Industry Association. At the event, Macao companies engaged in the production, research and development of natural aromatherapy and essential oils signed contracts respectively with the raw material suppliers and distributors from Portugal, and the distributors from Brazil. According to the persons-in-charge of the companies, their products are made of raw materials from the Portuguese-speaking countries and have successfully established the co-operation with many partners through the “Economic and Trade Co-operation and Human Resources Portal between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries”. Thanks to the partnerships, they could bring their high-quality products to domestic and overseas markets, opening up a broader space for their brand development.
The delegation also met with Executive Director of Portuguese Trade and Investment Agency (AICEP) Luís Rebelo de Sousa to exchange views regarding the development of Macao’s China-PSC platform and Macao-Hengqin co-operation opportunities.
IPIM Arranged Intensive Follow-up Tasks to Keep the Momentum Up
According to IPIM President Vincent U, nearly 40 matching were facilitated and a co-operation document was signed. The trip also allow an exchange with persons in-charge of Portuguese economic entities and senior management of a local large enterprise. After returning to Macao, IPIM will continue the follow-up tasks.
This mission to Portugal was the activity immediately following the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Macao), was successfully held in Macao last month. Macao’s economic and trade departments will make further effort to contribute to the development of China-PSCs platform with endeavours including this commercial mission to Portugal. IPIM will also arrange entrepreneurs’ delegation to visit Angola, Brazil and Mozambique.
A Trip to Ireland to Learn from Successful MICE Events
Before leaving for Portugal, IPIM President Vincent U visited Ireland to meet with an internationally renowned MICE advisory team in Ireland, and some of the local exhibition facilities, such as the Convention Centre Dublin, the world’s first carbon-neutral constructed convention centre, as well as the Ideal Home Show, the largest home furnishing show in Ireland.
In order to have better understanding of how investment promotion is carried out in Ireland, President U also met with representatives of BOC Dublin Branch General Manager, which is a chairperson-level corporate member of the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Ireland (ACEI), ICBC International Leasing (ACEI vice-chairperson-level corporate member), and OpenJaw Technologies (ACEI director-level corporate member). In the meeting, they exchanged insight on business and operation co-operation.
