CE also meets Portuguese PM, Speaker, and Chief Judge
Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, who yesterday was on the last day of his four-day working visit to Portugal, paid a courtesy call on President António José Seguro in Lisbon yesterday morning, where both sides exchanged views on topics such as advancing high-quality cooperation between Macau and Portugal in areas such as trade, culture, education, and tourism, and supporting Macau in better playing its role as a cooperation platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, according to a statement released by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS) last night (Macau time).
During the meeting, held at Belém Palace, the official residence of the Portuguese head of state, Sam first thanked Seguro for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with him. On behalf of the MSAR government, according to the statement, Sam extended his congratulations once again to Seguro on his resounding victory in the February election and his inauguration as the new President of Portugal last month.
Sam also expressed gratitude for Seguro’s high praise of the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle in Macau, which, Sam noted, demonstrates that “One Country, Two Systems” is a sound system that has gained international recognition.
According to the statement, Sam also pledged that his government will ensure the effective drawing-up and implementation of Macau’s 3rd Five-Year Plan in close alignment with the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, adding that Macau’s 3rd Five-Year Plan will outlines his government’s commitment to strengthening Macau’s role as a service platform connecting China with Portuguese-speaking countries.
Sam also said that he expects Portugal to continue supporting Macau’s international development, and to work together with Macau to facilitate the successful organisation of the 7th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), known as Forum Macao for short, next year.
According to the statement, Sam also underlined during the meeting that the MSAR government has long spared no effort in promoting the use of the Portuguese language and supporting Portuguese-language education in Macau, pointing out that the number of Portuguese learners in Macau is now the highest since its return to the motherland on December 20, 1999.
Currently, Sam noted, all legal documents and government notices in the MSAR are published in both Chinese and Portuguese, many court rulings are issued in Portuguese, or bilingually (both Chinese and Portuguese), and judges and prosecutors are required to have a high level of proficiency in Portuguese.
According to the statement, Sam underlined that high-quality talent is important for Macau’s future development, adding that proficiency in Portuguese is a bonus criterion under the Macau government’s current talent acquisition programme, which, Sam said, is a clear indication of the importance the MSAR government attaches to the Portuguese language.
According to the statement, Seguro noted during the meeting that Portugal and China established diplomatic relations in 1979 and a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2005. The bilateral relationship has long remained friendly and close, with growing political mutual trust and frequent high-level exchanges, Seguro said.
Since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership, Seguro said, the two countries have made considerable progress in economic, trade, technological, cultural, and educational cooperation, maintaining a strong momentum. Looking ahead, Seguro said, Portugal will continue to adhere to the One-China principle and, guided by the principles of mutual benefit and shared development, will keep advancing all-round cooperation with China, while continuing to support the MSAR’s development.
According to the statement, Seguro also said that the friendship between Portugal and Macau goes back a long way, with close ties maintained over the years and fruitful cooperation in various fields. Portugal values the continued deepening of exchanges and cooperation with Macau, including in the joint promotion of Portuguese-language education, Seguro said, adding that he expects to see the Portuguese School in Macau, which plays a key role in Portuguese-language education, develop further.
Seguro also suggested that the two sides jointly explore the feasibility of launching direct flights between Portugal and Macau.
After his meeting with Seguro, Sam also separately paid courtesy calls on Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, President of the Supreme Court of Justice João Cura Mariano, and President of the Assembly of the Republic José Pedro Aguiar-Branco.
During his meeting with the prime minister, Sam said that he expects continued deepening of exchanges and mutually-beneficial cooperation between Macau and Portugal in areas including trade and investment, promotion of the Portuguese language, talent development, high-tech innovation, cultural tourism, and judicial collaboration, according to GCS.
Montenegro said that Portugal is committed to deepening friendly and cooperative ties with China, and hopes to consolidate and further strengthen the traditional friendship through close and pragmatic cooperation with Macau. He stressed that Macau serves as an important gateway for Portuguese businesses to enter the Chinese market, while Portugal can likewise serve as a platform for Chinese mainland and Macau enterprises seeking access to the European market.
After concluding his four-day working visit to Portugal, Sam departed for Madrid yesterday afternoon (local time) where he will meet with the second deputy prime minister of Spain, Yolanda Díaz, and attend a Macau tourism promotion event.
Sam vows to raise Macau-Portugal cooperation to higher level
Meanwhile, during a reception hosted by the MSAR government in Lisbon on Monday evening (local time), Sam delivered a speech underlining his government’s commitment to bringing Macau-Portugal cooperation across various fields to a higher level. Sam said that the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan outlines China’s commitment to sharing development opportunities with countries around the world, providing broad prospects and opportunities for China-Portugal cooperation.
According to a GCS statement released in the early hours of yesterday (Macau time), Sam noted in his speech that the MSAR government is currently drafting Macau’s 3rdFive-Year Plan in close alignment with the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, with a dedication to promoting high-quality internal reform and high-level opening-up, building a business environment that is internationalised, law-based, stable, and predictable, better leveraging Macau’s unique role as a bridge and “precise connector” between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and promoting the various platforms and mechanisms for cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, with the aim of enabling Macau to become an important station for the international community, particularly Portuguese-speaking countries, to benefit from China’s rapid development.
Sam, according to the statement, also said that he expects individuals and enterprises in Portugal to visit Macau, Hengqin, and various other places in the Chinese mainland with the aim of exploring investment opportunities.
The reception, which was held at MEO Arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena in Lisbon, was attended by about 400 people, including officials and business representatives of the MSAR delegation visiting Portugal, representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Portugal, and members from various segments of Portugal’s civil society.
Also delivering a speech during the reception, Portugal’s Secretary of State for the Portuguese Communities Emídio Sousa said that Macau and Portugal share a deep historical connection and traditional friendship, while China has been a friendly cooperation partner of Portugal, according to the statement.
Sousa said that Sam’s choice of Portugal as the first leg of his first overseas visit as the chief executive is symbolic, highlighting Portugal’s importance to Macau. Likewise, Sousa said, Portugal also highly values its relationship with Macau.
Sousa noted that the two sides have maintained close ties since Macau’s return to the motherland, with Macau further contributing to the advancement of Chinese-Portuguese relations.
Sousa pledged that Portugal will continue to deepen its exchanges and cooperation with Macau and build a closer relationship with the MSAR government.
According to the statement, 18 cooperation agreements between Macau and Portugal were signed during the reception, covering various fields such as trade platforms between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, sci-tech, tourism, education, big health, convention and exhibition, culture, and sport.
‘One Country, Two Systems’ embodies Chinese wisdom: Sam
Meanwhile, on Monday afternoon (local time), Sam also delivered a speech during the launch ceremony of an exhibition hosted by the MSAR government in Lisbon showcasing the achievements of Macau’s successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle since its return to the motherland.
According to a separate GCS statement released in the early hours of yesterday (Macau time), Sam said in his speech that the exhibition serves as a dialogue between Eastern and Western civilisations. The exhibition is not only a review of the history of Macau’s development, but also an important opportunity to vividly present to the international community the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, which embodies the Chinese wisdom, Sam said.
Sam said that since Macau’s return to the motherland, with the central government’s strong leadership and full support, the MSAR government has joined forces with the general public in the long journey of making Macau an exemplar of the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle that fits Macau’s real situation and has been widely recognised by the international community.
Meanwhile, Sam also met with Portuguese Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel on Monday night (local time).
After visiting Spain, Sam is also slated to pay working visits to Geneva and Brussels during his nine-day, four nation tour of Europe. He and his entourage are scheduled to arrive back in Macau on Sunday.
Portuguese President António José Seguro (right) meets with Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai at Belém Palace in Lisbon yesterday morning (local time). – Photo: GCS
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro (right) shakes hands with Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai at São Bento Mansion in Lisbon before their meeting yesterday morning (local time). – Photo: GCS
