The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, met today with the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Mr Paulo Sacadura Cabral Portas. At Santa Sancha, the official premises where the Chief Executive receives guests, Mr Chui welcomed Mr Portas and his delegation, who were visiting Macao as part of their visit to China. Mr Chui and Mr Portas discussed a range of issues including means to deepen and consolidate co-operations between Macao and Portugal, Macao's function in Sino-Portuguese relations and as a business platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Mr Chui said the Macao SAR Government highly regarded the co-operative relations between Macao and Portugal, and said Portugal was the first foreign country he officially visited since he assumed office as Chief Executive. Mr Chui reviewed that during his visit to Portugal, Macao and Portugal agreed on holding regular meetings to enhance co-operation on trade, tourism, science, public security, legal and other areas, in accordance with the Co-operation Framework Agreement between the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and the Portuguese Republic, signed in 2001. He said that the visit of Mr Portas to Macao represented their consensus of encouraging visits between high-ranking officials. He said Macao would continue to act as a platform and encourage companies in the Mainland and Macao to invest in Portugal. Mr Portas said Portugal had constantly and highly regarded relations between Portugal and Macao and Macao's function in the development of Sino-Portuguese relations. He said Portugal and Macao could strengthen their co-operation in different areas with inputs from officials and civil levels. He extended gratitude to Macao for its efforts in maintaining Portuguese language education and keeping Portuguese culture in Macao, and said they should facilitate co-operations in education and culture. Mr Chui acknowledged that Macao and Portugal should continue and strengthen their co-operation in trade, education, culture and especially training in languages. The Macao SAR would, in accordance with the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Macao, continue to maintain the Portuguese culture, language and customs in Macao, said Mr Chui. He also said he wished the Portuguese community in Macao would continue to live and prosper in Macao. Mr Portas said he cared about the development of the Portuguese School of Macao and Mr Chui said the Government would continue to support it. Macao officials who attended the meeting included the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Florinda Chan; the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Office of the Chief Executive, Mr Tam Chon Weng; the Chief-of-Cabinet of the Office of the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Cheong Chui Ling, and the Head of Office of Macao Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon, Mr Raimundo Arrais do Rosario. The Portuguese officials who attended the meeting included Portuguese Ambassador to China, Mr Jose Tadeu Soares; the Secretary of State for Tourism, Ms Cecília Meireles; the Consul-General of Portugal in Macao and Hong Kong, Mr Manuel Carvalho; the President of the Agency for Investment and External Commerce of Portugal, Mr Pedro Reis, and the President of Instituto Camões, Ms Ana Paula Laborinho.
