Several activities foster business opportunities for SMEs

Jackson Chang

The “SME International Business Days’ Opening Ceremony, Cocktail Reception and Protocol Signing Ceremony” was held on the second day of the 20th Macau International Trade and Investment Fair.
According to figures published by the organizer, approximately 283 business-
matching sessions were held, contributing to the signing of 26 agreements at the venue.
One of the key activities of the MIF, the SME International Business Day aims to encourage the participation of enterprises and business start-ups, and this year introduced various services such as the Service Counter for SMEs, a business promotion consultation, information on business start-ups, SME business operation and transformation, as well as seminars for young entrepreneurs.
At the opening ceremony, Jackson Chang, president of the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) remarked that SMEs serve as an important pillar for Macau’s economic development. “During the economic evolution of Macau, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) played a role of great importance because they constitute an indispensable pillar to the Macau economy, absorbing a large number of the employed population”, he said.
Mr Chang also took the opportunity to highlight in his speech the importance of responding promptly to changes in the international markets, noting also the relevance of IPIM’s “one-stop” service for SMEs and the opportunities for local companies under the initiative of “Macao Ideas”. The Macao Products Display Centre, creator of “Macao Ideas”, has lately expanded its marketing reach through its new location in Taipei Station and promotional activities in Lisbon and the five offices in mainland China, promoting “Macau-branded products” in China and abroad.
According to IPIM’s Macau Business Support Center, the larger goals of the “SME International Business Days” were to increase the entrepreneurship capacity of SMEs and to stimulate youth entrepreneurship in order to encourage self-employment through the creation of new jobs. RM