48 tourism agreements lift Macau-Spain ties to new level, CE says in Madrid

Having concluded his Portugal visit on Tuesday afternoon local time, Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai arrived in Madrid, Spain, and reported that the one-day visit had brought bilateral cooperation to a new level, with 48 agreements jointly signed with Spain.

Reportedly, the CE summarized the outcomes of his visit to Spain on Wednesday local time, stating that the visit marked a new milestone in the cooperative relationship between Macau and Spain. He noted that it not only enriched the developmental significance of Macau as a “One Center, One Platform, and One Base,” but also injected new momentum into the development of friendly relations between China and Spain.

Sam highlighted three major achievements of the visit: the signing of 48 cooperation agreements; the Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization agreeing to increase support for Macau in hosting international tourism events; and an agreement to establish a regularized business and trade matching mechanism.

According to the Government Information Bureau (GCS), Sam summarized the outcomes of his visit to Spain, stating that he had introduced to the Spanish side Macau’s achievements in implementing the ‘One country, two systems’ principle.

It was stated that the two sides held in-depth exchanges on expanding Macau-Spain cooperation, exploring opportunities in areas such as trade, tourism, high technology, and finance.

During the visit, Sam met with Spain’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares Bueno, as well as the Second Vice President of the Bureau of the Spanish Senate Concha Andreu Rodríguez, and was scheduled to meet with the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Spain Yolanda Díaz.

At a reception attended by Spanish Senate Second Vice President Concha Andreu Rodríguez and Chinese Ambassador to Spain and Andorra Yao Jing, Sam reportedly emphasized that Macau is closely aligning with national plans by drafting its third five-year plan, committed to building an internationalized and law-based business environment. This will position Macau as a key “front station” for countries including Spain to board China’s development express. He stressed that expanding cooperation with Spanish-speaking countries is a strategic direction for the Macau government.

As stated by the GCS summary of Sam’s visit, his government, together with Macau and mainland Chinese business delegations, held a major roadshow and economic cooperation promotion conference in Madrid, during which 48 agreements were signed covering areas such as high technology and sports event cooperation. Sam noted that many companies had clearly expressed a strong willingness to collaborate.

“In terms of platform connection, the Macau-Hengqin zone serves as a bridgehead for Spanish enterprises to enter the mainland Chinese market, while Spain serves as a gateway for mainland and Macau companies to explore Spanish-speaking markets,” he was quoted by public broadcaster TDM as saying.

Sam also revealed that the government is considering appropriately expanding the functions of the Macau Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon to assist Macau and mainland enterprises in tapping into the Spanish market.