Press Conference of the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum¹ (Macao) Held in Beijing

　　The press conference of the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum (Macao) was held in Beijing on Feb. 27, Wei Jianguo, Vice² Minister of Commerce of PRC, Francis Tam Pak Yuen, Secretary for Economy and Finance, and Bernardo, the Angolan Ambassador to China and delegate of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, attended the press conference and gave speeches.

　　Mr. Wei Jianguo said that the Forum was established under the background of positive participation³ of China, Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Government of Macao Special Administrative⁴ Region, and played an active role in enhancing the trade and economic cooperation relationship between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, promoting common development of Mainland, Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries. Since the holding of the first ministerial meeting of the Forum in 2003, China and Portuguese-speaking countries completely make use of Macao as a platform to positively⁵ fulfill⁶ subsequent works of the Forum and launch multi-directional and multi-layered cooperation in area of trade and economy to strongly push forward the long-term development of relations between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and even made remarkable⁷ achievements. The Forum became the effective platform for negotiation⁸, dialogue and practical cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and played a more and more important role in development of the relationship. Chinese President Hu Jintao, Chief Executive of Macao SAR Edmund Ho Hau Wah and leaders of Portuguese-speaking countries highly appraised⁹ the progress of the Forum and required a better forum. And Macao SAR made an important contribution to the development of the Forum and played an active and special role.

　　Mr. Wei Jianguo introduced that since the establishment, the Forum made an outstanding effect: In 2004, bilateral¹⁰ trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries amounted to US$18.27 billion, up by 65.7% compared with that in 2003 when the Forum was launched, and even reached US$23.19 billion in 2005, up by 26.9% on a year-on-year basis, breaking through US$20 billion for the first time. Meanwhile, China enhanced investment in Portuguese-speaking countries, by the end of 2005, total investment of China in Portuguese-speaking countries was close to US$100 million. The Forum also strengthened the human resources development, and held seminars on economic management, nurse, media and tourism and training of professional technologies in China. Besides, the Forum did much in expansion of bilateral trade, investment promotion¹¹ and cooperation enhancement among enterprises.

　　Mr. Wei Jianguo said that all parties could hand in hand to hold a characteristic forum with mutual¹² efforts through Macao, a platform, bridge and window of the Forum, could take positive and effective measures to further exploit bigger cooperation space among Mainland, Macao SAR and Portuguese-speaking countries guided by market and led by projects to strive to put forward some specific measures under the framework of the Forum and implement¹³ certain projects to make the 2nd ministerial meeting a fruitful and efficient convention.

　　Francis Tam Pak Yuen said in his speech that since the first session of the Forum 2 years ago, function brought by the Forum turned remarkable day after day. Parties of the Forum started a series of fruitful activities in promotion of investment and trade, enterprises' cooperation, infrastructure¹⁴, exploitation of natural resources and human resources development, visits of high level officials to each other in accordance with signed Guideline for Trade and Economic Cooperation. Facts proved that the Forum was an effective and better cooperation mechanism¹⁵ and platform. 2006 was the third year since the establishment of the Forum, we would not only summarize the subsequent works of the first ministerial meeting, but also prepare for the second ministerial meeting and plan the future cooperation. Francis Tam Pak Yuen said that government of Macao SAR was confident to hold better the Meeting.

　　Bernardo said on behalf of representatives from Portuguese-speaking countries that Macao played well the role of a platform to promote trade and economic cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and hoped that the Forum could make more remarkable achievements with mutual efforts of China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

　　In the end, officials attending the Meeting answered questions from China and abroad. Foreign envoys¹⁶ and commissioners¹⁷ to China from Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, Buddha¹⁸, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and East Timor, and representatives from departments of Ministry¹⁹ of Foreign Affairs and Hong Kong and Macao Office of the State Council attended the press conference.

　　It is learnt that the second Ministerial Meeting of Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries will be held at the end of Sept. 2006 in Macao. The Meeting will confirm areas and modes of trade and economic cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries during 2007 to 2009 and sign relative documents. At that time, a series of trade and economic promotion activities will be held such as China--Portuguese-speaking countries entrepreneurs meeting and Macao international trade and investment fair