PLPEX re-brands for main role in MIF

The former Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition – Macao (PLPEX) has re-branded itself this year, becoming the 1st China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Economic and Trade Expo – Macao (C-PLPEX).

C-PLPEX, which has run as a stand-alone event concurrently with the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) since 2017, is also taking the main role in the 28th MIF, which began yesterday.

According to the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), which organizes the events, the idea to rebrand PLPEX to C-PLPEX came as part of the activities that celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese
-speaking Countries (Macao) (Forum Macau).

IPIM said the elevation of status aims to nurture brands originating in China and Portuguese-speaking countries, organizing officials and enterprise representatives from both sides to join the event and to introduce a greater variety of products and broader possibilities or trade deals and partnerships.

With almost 300 exhibitors, the C-PLPEX will take a central role in this year’s MIF, presenting a variety of products and services in which the agri-food sector has a clear prevalence.

Technology, particularly services and platforms linked to the promotion of services and goods on the internet, is also present this year and includes representatives from Macau.Speaking to the media, Lio Son Wan, a representative of Gen Z Digital Culture and Entertainment (Macao) Technology Co. Ltd., noted the company’s scope in internet promotion.

He said the MIF’s main goal in participating this year is to promote several mainland internet promotion and sales platforms  that the company is part of to the markets of Portugal and Brazil.

The same representative said that, so far, the company has few contacts in those countries and so the participation in the event aims to “open doors.”

Also interviewed by the media, Nilo Santiago, Senior Adviser on International Relations of the [Brazilian] Instituto Jovem Exportador (Young Exporter Institute), said over 20 companies are showcasing their products – mostly from the agro-food sector – at the fair.

Santiago said all these companies are new to the event and the relationship with China.  Participation from C-PLPEX, as well as the contacts made through IPIM, have been important to provide small and medium enterprises in areas of Brazil, such as the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, to enter the export market with very unique products from the Amazon rainforest. Other products are already well known, such as coffee and some that are starting to arrive in Asia like the Açaí.

Santiago said Brazilian exporters mainly face logistics issues shipping products to Asia in general and China in particular.

He is attending this year’s event to present a new shipping route, which he said opened about one month ago.

Named the “Bioceanic Route,” the new route links Central Brazil to Asia and Oceania passing through Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile. It promises to reduce the time of transportation of goods by maritime route to 17 days.

On the new route, goods are shipped via the Ports of Iquique or Antofagasta (in Chile), unlike existing routes that only use the Port of Santos in the city of São Paulo. Santiago said the change not only saves time but also a lot of money as the new route will cut on shipping costs.

MIF runs until Sunday under the theme ‘More than Business’

The 28th Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF) will run until Sunday (Oct. 22 at 6 p.m.) with days 2 to 4 (Oct. 20 to 22) open to the public.

Besides the MIF and the 1st C-PLPLEX, the fair is running concurrently with the 2023 Macao Franchise Expo (MFE) exhibition.

The multievent also includes CHEXPO Macao 2023, and Science and Technology Week 2023 to take advantage of the synergy effects.