Forum Macao | Secretary-General Xu Yingzhen leaves post

The Secretary-General of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Forum Macao), Xu Yingzhen, is leaving her position this week, the Times has learned from diplomatic sources who were part of the internal farewell party yesterday.
During the event, which lasted for over two hours, delegates and high-ranking colleagues from the eight Portuguese-speaking countries and China addressed Xu with mostly impromptu farewell speeches “which consisted basically of personal messages reflecting the working relationship of each delegate or colleague with Ms Xu,” the source said.
Upon her departure following four years at the helm of the institution which promotes the economic and cultural exchanges between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, Deputy-Secretary-General Ding Tian will provisionally take over the position. In January 2017, he was the first deputy secretary-general ever appointed by China.
Rodrigo Brum, chosen by the Lusophone countries, and Casimiro Pinto (Macau) are the other deputies.
The term of each secretary-general is not officially stipulated. According to the secretariat of the secretary-general, the term is determined at the discretion of the Central People’s Government in Beijing.
The rotation of the representatives and members from the eight countries, due this summer, was postponed sine die because of the pandemic situation that prevents foreigners from entering Macau.
Xu assumed her position at Forum Macao on August 12, 2016.
Before taking over the post in the Special Administrative Region, Xu served as Commercial Counselor of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce of China (equivalent to Director-General level) for several years.
Possessing a strong background in international trading and commercial activities and practices, the outgoing Secretary-General also has extensive experience in foreign affairs and a good knowledge of the markets of Portuguese-speaking countries.
Even before taking up her position at the Chinese-Lusophone countries platform, she provided support to the Forum by working with the organization of the Ministerial Conferences of Forum Macao.
Xu had also paid several courtesy visits to the former Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, the then-consular representatives of Portuguese-
speaking Countries in Macau, and various services and entities of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government.
In an earlier interview, Xu pointed out that the Permanent Secretariat sought to work hand in hand with Portuguese-speaking countries, uphold the concept of “uniting efforts towards cooperation, jointly building the platform, sharing the benefits of development”, and actively participating in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Staff reporter