The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said today the First Beijing Macao Economic and Trade Exchange Symposium would serve as a platform for the Beijing and Macao governments to strengthen and open up more room for co-operation.
He said this in a keynote speech as he officiated the opening of the symposium in Beijing, together with the Secretary of CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, Mr Guo Jinlong and the Acting Mayor of Beijing, Mr Wang Anshun.
Mr Chui said Beijing and Macao have close exchanges and contacts and the symposium was the fruit of the dedication of two governments. It could help to further expand co-operation on trade, tourism, convention, cultural and creative and city management, which would meet the needs in the economic and social development of the two places, he said.
In his speech, Mr Wang Anshun said the symposium was seen as a new chapter for co-operation between Beijing and Macao and it was one the major initiative of the Central Government on strengthening economic and trade co-operation between the Mainland and Macao.
The Beijing Government looked forward to using this platform to foster co-operation with the Macao Government, Mr Wang added.
During the opening ceremony, three strategic co-operation agreements on tourism, investment and trading, and convention and exhibition were signed.
According to the agreements, the tourism authorities of the two governments would jointly establish a tourism co-operation and co-ordination mechanism for tourism promotion, communication, and stipulate regulations and to develop multi-destination travel.
On trade co-operation, both areas would enhance the exchange of information on business and exhibitions, jointly host conventions and exhibitions, introduce business partners and provide commercial opportunities.
Mr Chui told reporters after the ceremony that more that 100 local business units were participating in the symposium to promote their products and described it as a good foundation of co-operation between the Beijing and Macao. He also revealed that he met with Mr Guo and Mr Wang earlier and that they have agreed to deepen co-operation on business, trade and culture, and had particularly discussed strengthening business promotion to the Portuguese-speaking countries and the Romance-speaking. Leaders of the two governments toured and inspected the exhibition hall before the opening of the symposium.
