Tai: Trade expos boost economic diversification and industry ties

Secretary for Economy and Finance Anton Tai underscored the pivotal role of major events like the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) in economic development, noting that the trade fair fosters deeper industry integration with convention and exhibition activities.

For Tai, the expo creates “high-quality channels for trade and business matchmaking” and reinforces its role as a driver of economic diversification.

The Second China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Expo (2nd C-PLPEX), the 30th MIF, and the Macao Franchise Expo 2025 (2025 MFE) officially opened yesterday at The Venetian Macao, with doors opening to the general public today.

During his opening address at the three-in-one trade expo, he traced the fair’s growth over three decades, noting its evolution from a modest exhibition into a cornerstone of the city’s convention and exhibition industry, earning accolades such as “Best Conventions Destination (Asia)” and “Best BT-MICE City” for three consecutive years.

Tai highlighted this year’s scale, with “more than 80 conferences and forums” running simultaneously, and emphasized that the expanded exhibition space and over two million visitors strengthen the city’s status as a dynamic hub for business cooperation and international trade.

Yesterday’s joint opening ceremony for the three trade expos was attended by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, Liu Xianfa, Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in Macau, Yan Dong, Vice Minister of Commerce of China, and Zhang Zhili, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, among others.

Highlighting the combined strength of emerging sectors like biomedicine, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, Tai said, “These events will create a synergistic effect, foster a strong atmosphere of business cooperation, and attract more domestic and international businesses to Macau.”

This year, the expo also introduces Guangzhou as the “Partner City” and unveils new feature zones that include the Robotics Industry Pavilion and the Big Health Brand Overseas Pavilion.

The “Guangzhou Pavilion” spans 405 square meters and showcases a broad array of high-quality enterprises excelling in artificial intelligence, biomedicine, advanced manufacturing, intangible cultural heritage, and Lingnan-style cuisine, blending modern technology with regional culture. Meanwhile, the “Hengqin Pavilion,” located within the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone, gathers more than 40 leading companies spanning scientific research, traditional Chinese medicine, cultural tourism, commerce, and modern finance – all of which align closely with Macau’s broader economic diversification strategy.

Adding another layer of international collaboration to the event, Tai noted that the 2nd C-PLPEX will bring together “over 300 exhibitors from PSCs.” He pointed out that C-PLPEX aims to foster cooperation in areas such as cross-border e-commerce, agriculture, new energy, and the blue economy.

China-PSC ties

Vice Minister Yan Dong also underlined the critical importance of platforms like the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, commonly known as Forum Macao, alongside the C-PLPEX.

Yan emphasized the importance of strengthening integration between platforms and industries, which he believes is essential for creating new opportunities for cooperation.

He explained that this includes promoting growth points under the Belt and Road Initiative and enhancing maritime shipping partnerships between China and PSCs. He stated that such integration is vital for sustainable development and improving connectivity between the regions.

In addition to fostering platform and industry integration, the Vice Minister of Commerce underscored the need to boost trade and investment.

Yan pointed to promising sectors such as agricultural products, food, and new energy, while urging businesses from both China and PSCs to expand their trade activities in these areas.

Yan also stressed “Macau’s strategic role as a platform” for these developments. The Vice Minister of Commerce referenced specific infrastructure projects, including the Macao Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Distribution Center, an initiative under the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) aimed at promoting food products from PSCs within China.

This center functions as both an online and offline platform to showcase and distribute products from Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, and Timor-Leste. Yan highlighted the potential for increased commercial exchange that could benefit all parties involved.

Complementing Yan’s remarks, Vice Minister of Agriculture Zhang Zhili shed light on the expanding agricultural trade ties between China and PSCs. In his address, he noted that total agricultural trade volume is expected to reach USD 54 billion, representing 16.8% of China’s total agricultural import and export trade.

Zhang further acknowledged the positive contributions of Chinese investments in PSCs. He highlighted that Chinese enterprises have established farms, agricultural parks, fisheries, aquatic product processing and storage centers, as well as marine aquaculture bases, which not only help secure local food supplies but also stimulate employment and promote broader industrial development in partner countries through agricultural collaboration.

The expos will run until Saturday at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, welcoming local professionals and the general public to explore the latest trends and opportunities across diverse sectors including agriculture, technology, franchise development, and international trade. The expo is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Expo drives tech,

health deals

Several high-profile Chinese and overseas enterprises, including Fortune Global 500 companies such as Huawei and AstraZeneca, alongside top technology and investment firms like China Unicom, Alibaba Cloud, and WI Harper Group, signed 13 partnership agreements during yesterday’s expo.

As stated by MIF, these partnerships are “set to pave the way for Macau to introduce key sectors such as big health, high and new technology, and investment funds, while building a pipeline of quality enterprises for Macau’s science and technology R&D industrial park.”

Yesterday’s events also featured a memorandum signing ceremony for Macau fragrance brand Francine Chicard during the C-PLPEX. According to the memorandum, the Sino-Portuguese Fund will provide financing to the brand, supporting its procurement of natural raw materials like essential oils from Timor-Leste and promoting the production and export of local kukui fruit oil.

Francine Chicard, as detailed on the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute’s website, offers over 150 raw materials for essential oils and more than 20 natural plant-based oils, producing over 100 unique formulations that serve industries ranging from biomedicine and beauty to hospitality and commercial venues. The company specializes in pure essential oils, compound oils, and care products.