CE meets President of Guinea-Bissau to promote ties

MACAU, June 5 - The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, today met in Macao with the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Mr Umaro Sissoco Embaló, to exchange views on enhancing Macao’s role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and to promote economic and trade cooperation between Macao and Guinea-Bissau. 

During the meeting at the Government Headquarters, Mr Sam welcomed President Embaló and his delegation to Macao. The Chief Executive stated that the successful and enduring implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle in the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) has led to globally-recognised achievements across political, economic, social, and livelihood domains. The MSAR Government and Macao society are committed to preserving Macao’s unique historical and cultural heritage, and to transforming the city’s role as a platform for cultural exchange between East and West, establishing Macao also as a key tourism and leisure hub in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The Chief Executive highlighted the strong bilateral relations between China and Guinea-Bissau, which were elevated to a strategic partnership last year. The successful hosting in Macao last year of the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), also known as Forum Macao, further facilitated prospects for higher-level cooperation between China and all Portuguese-speaking countries.

Macao will continue leveraging its advantages as “One Centre, One Platform, One Base” to assist Guinea-Bissau in utilising the China-Portuguese-speaking countries economic and trade cooperation service platform; promoting mutual investment between enterprises in China and Guinea-Bissau; and supporting Guinea-Bissau in transforming its resource potential into development momentum. Additionally, both sides could deepen collaboration in healthcare, education, and youth exchanges. 

Those attending the meeting included: the Commissioner of the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the MSAR, Mr Liu Xianfa; the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Tai Kin Ip; and the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Chan Kak.

Also present were: the Minister of Economy, Planning, and Regional Integration of Guinea-Bissau, Mr Soares Sambú; the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Ms Fatumata Jau; Foreign Affairs Advisor to the President, Mr Alfredo Lopes Cabral; Political Advisor to the President, Mr Fernando Delfim da Silva; Presidential Advisor, Ms Yessenia Suad de Brito Arif Ibrahim; Advisor to the President’s Office, Ms N'Dira Yonhinte Tavares;  and Representative of Guinea-Bissau to the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Mr Abdú Jaquité.