PLP: Cooperation needs realization

The synergies and cooperation agreements established between companies from the Portuguese-speaking countries (PLP) and China need real implementation in projects and cannot stay only at the level of business contacts, Mussurá Canté, Secretary of the State of the Plan and Regional Integration of Guinea-Bissau, said, in representation of the all the PLP.

In a speech delivered at the inauguration of the 1st China-Portuguese
-speaking Countries Economic and Trade Expo – Macao (C-PLPEX), Canté said Macau SAR has been playing a very important role as a platform that has brought the PLP many opportunities that they value and have used.

Nevertheless, “The synergies and cooperation between enterprises cannot be limited to the organization of business matching sessions but should pass also through the implementation of concrete and specific entrepreneurial projects and partnerships from PLP and China, which will gradually promote mutual trade and investment,” she said.

The PLP representative also noted the 1st C-PLPEX
is “an opportunity to respond to the challenges of globalization and to promote the social and economic development of all those involved.”

Macau with added roles on blue economy

Minutes earlier in the speech officially launching the event, Fan Shijie, representative of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and Director-General of the Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, had said Macau’s role as the link between the maritime Silk Road will be reinforced, considering the purpose of Sino-Portuguese cooperation in the blue economy.

“We will implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s speech at the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which articulated the promotion of China’s participation in the construction of the Belt and Road initiative with the PLP.

We will promote the joint participation of China and PLP in the Belt and Road initiative construction and we will give full play to the Macau role as a keynote on the maritime Silk Road, deepen Sino-Portuguese cooperation in the maritime economy, and promote the smooth flow of trade between China and Portugal,” Fan said.

The same official added China will also raise the level of investment and cultivate momentum for economic development.

Fan noted that for the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, the 1st C-PLPEX is “an opportunity for the transaction of high-quality commodities from PLP and the landing of corporation projects with potential. To promote that, you must have enough tangible results inside Portuguese economic entry areas.”

Another area that the central government wants to see developed is the Sino-Portuguese e-commerce cross-border cooperation.