Sixth Ministerial Forum meeting postponed to 2020

The sixth ministerial meeting of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese- speaking Countries (Forum Macao), which had been scheduled for 2019, will be delayed until 2020, according to diplomatic sources linked to the institution.

Forum Macao, which has been active for 15 years, meets every three years in Macau to set out action plans.

The source mentioned that the main reason for postponing the meeting is due to Chui Sai On’s end of office term in 2019, which is close to when the Forum Macao’s meeting was due to be held.

The possibility of postponing the sixth ministerial meeting of the Forum had been raised by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, during a meeting with local journalists.

The Chinese authorities are also planning for the ministerial meeting to be held at the new Trade Cooperation Services Complex between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, which is currently under construction in the Lake Nam Van area and is expected to conclude at the end of 2019.

The future complex will cost about 693 million patacas (USD87 million). Besides being the institution’s headquarters, it will also house the Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Food Products Exhibition Centre, the Business Service Centre between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries, as well as various training and information centers, and a Pavilion on Economic, Commercial and Cultural Relations between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries.

The China-Portuguese Speaking Countries Cooperation and Development Fund, which is currently installed in the Business Support Centre and attached to the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), will also be located in the same complex.

With an area of 14,200 square meters, the complex was designed by architect Carlos Marreiros, with the engineering project drawn up by José Silveirinha and Jorge Lipari Pinto.

Forum Macao, created by China with the support of the Portuguese-speaking countries, includes representatives from Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and East Timor. Its Secretary-General Xu Yingzhen, was appointed by China’s Ministry of Commerce.  MDT/Macauhub