SEF leads delegation to Europe to enhance international ties and seek cooperation opportunities

MACAU, March 21 - To deepen international cooperation and exchanges, and to strive to establish Macao as a platform for higher-level opening-up, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr. Tai Kin Ip, recently led a Macao SAR Government delegation on a visit to Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Monaco to further expand international connections and explore cooperation opportunities.

On 3 March, the delegation attended the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, a global technology event held in Barcelona, Spain to further strengthen ties with the world’s leading technology enterprises. This year's MWC, which was rotationally chaired by Huawei, showcased the latest technologies and products in fields such as 5G and artificial intelligence. During the event, the delegation had a meeting with the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), the organizer of the MWC, to discuss potential future collaborations. The delegation also met with the Chinese Consul-General in Barcelona, Ms. Meng Yuhong, to exchange views on enhancing future cooperation between Macao and Spain.

During the visit to Lisbon, Portugal from 4 to 6 March, the delegation visited Banco de Portugal, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation and met with Banco de Portugal’s board member, Mr. Luís Morais Sarmento; the Secretary of State for Economy, Mr. João Rui Ferreira; and the Secretary of State for Education Affairs, Mr. Alexandre Homem Cristo, to discuss consolidating and further deepening cooperation in technology, economy, and trade between Macao and Portugal with a view to better leveraging Macao's role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

During the visit to Portugal, the delegation also met with the Chinese Ambassador to Portugal, Mr. Zhao Bentang, to discuss deepening cooperation between Macao and Portugal. In addition, the delegation attended the inauguration ceremony of the China-Portugal Joint Laboratory on Artificial Intelligence and Public Health Technologies, which was jointly established by tertiary institutions from Macao, Guangzhou, and Portugal. Furthermore, the delegation visited the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, the NOVA University Lisbon, and the Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling, and Nanofabrication (i3N) to learn about the latest development of scientific research in Portugal. During the visit, the delegation witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Macau University of Science and Technology and the NOVA University Lisbon to strengthen research collaboration and personnel exchanges, as well as the signing of a cooperation agreement between the faculties of the two institutions to establish a joint research centre. The development of the Centre for Science and Technology Exchange and Cooperation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries is enhanced through promoting more exchanges and industry-academia-research collaboration between relevant institutions of the two places.

During the visit to Brussels, Belgium on 7 March, the delegation met with Ambassador Cai Run, Head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU), to discuss enhancing cooperation between Macao and the EU. The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to the European External Action Service (EEAS), where they had talks with the Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the EEAS, Ms. Paola Pampaloni, and other relevant officials. The two sides had an initial discussion on convening the 24^th EU-Macao Joint Committee Meeting and exchanged views on deepening bilateral economic and trade relations and cooperation.

During the meeting, Mr. Tai stated that Macao will fully leverage the institutional advantages of "One Country, Two Systems" to actively build an international exchange and cooperation platform in the new phase of the country’s high-level opening up. The EU is one of Macao's important trading partners, and the EU-Macao Joint Committee mechanism provides an effective platform for Macao and the EU to discuss economic and trade issues of mutual interest, playing a positive role in further promoting close cooperation and strengthening ties between the two sides. At the meeting, both sides reached a consensus to convene the 24^th EU-Macao Joint Committee Meeting in due course this year and agreed to strengthen communication to jointly advance the preparatory work for the meeting and ensure its smooth conduct.

During the visit to Monaco from 8 to 9 March, the Macao SAR Government delegation was welcomed with a reception hosted by Skål International Monaco. The event brought together local leaders in tourism, finance, and technology to promote exchanges and explore cooperation opportunities. In his speech at the reception, Mr. Tai noted that this year marks the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Monaco, presenting a rare opportunity to develop cooperation between Macao and Monaco. He pointed out that Monaco and Macao are both renowned tourist destinations with similar historical, cultural, and tourism characteristics. Their advantageous geographical locations could facilitate the establishment of cooperative relationships between Monaco and Europe, and Macao and China, particularly the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, in areas such as tourism, conventions, and events. Also at the reception, the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, introduced the latest development in Macao's tourism sector, showcasing the rich "Tourism+" elements.

Additionally, the Ambassador of Monaco to China, Ms. Marie-Pascale Boisson, hosted a dinner to welcome the delegation. Guests included leaders from Monaco's government departments in charge of economy, tourism, and conventions. Ambassador Boisson stated that this year marks the 30^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Monaco, and the delegation's visit is the first by Chinese officials to Monaco in recent years, playing a positive role in promoting China-Monaco relations. The two sides engaged in fruitful exchanges, and this meeting marked an important step forward in deepening the relations between Monaco and Macao.

Through this visit, the delegation strengthened the communication with Europe's high-tech sector, expanding the room for international cooperation in Europe and beyond for Macao. This is of significant importance for Macao's pursuit of appropriate economic diversification and the deepening of international cooperation and exchanges.

The delegation also included the Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, Mr. Yau Yun Wah; the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; the President of the Administrative Committee of the Science and Technology Development Fund, Mr. Che Weng Keong; the Director of the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon, Ms. Lúcia Abrantes dos Santos; and Advisor at the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr. Tam Chi Neng, among others.