Forum Macau ‘more complete’ with São Tomé

Asked by Radio Macau whether Portuguese-speaking São Tomé and Príncipe should be admitted to Forum Macau, Pires said that he would not take a stance on the matter.
“The club [Forum Macau] would be more complete if all the countries were included. Clearly the reason [for São Tomé’s exclusion] is linked to the fact that São Tomé does not have diplomatic relations with China [the PRC],” Pires told Radio Macau in an interview.
“But since I’m here, I don’t want to take a stance on that,” he added.
São Tomé and Príncipe has maintained relations with Taiwan since 1997, but only limited commercial ties with mainland China.