CE meets in Geneva with the head of China's Permanent Mission to the WTO

MACAU, April 24 - The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, met with the Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ms Li Yongjie, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday (23 April) in the afternoon local time. The two officials discussed ways to strengthen links between the two parties and to support Macao in its efforts in deepening cooperation with the WTO.

Mr Sam expressed his gratitude to the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO for its long-term support and guidance to the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) in its participation in multilateral trade affairs. He stated that Macao – under the “One country, two systems” principle – has since its return to the motherland actively participated in the multilateral trading system as a WTO member under the designation “Macao, China”. The Macao Economic and Trade Office to the WTO has maintained close contact with the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO as well as the WTO Secretariat.

The MSAR will actively participate in this year's Public Forum of the WTO, with the aim of contributing to the WTO's work in relevant areas by sharing information about the MSAR’s practical experience as a small economy, said Mr Sam. It is also hoped that the event will help enhance exchanges between Macao and other WTO members, he added.

The MSAR Government is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the WTO to contribute to the continued advancement of the multilateral trading system, and it plans to invite WTO experts to Macao to conduct training workshops. These efforts will benefit from the strong support of the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO, Mr Sam noted.

Ms Li welcomed the Chief Executive and his delegation to the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO. She shared with the MSAR delegation information about the day-to-day work of the Mission. She pointed out that China’s entry to the WTO has been an important milestone in the country’s reform and opening-up. Safeguarding the multilateral trading system has always been the top priority of the Mission, she added. This is to facilitate reform and development through the expansion linked to opening up, she explained.

She emphasised that the Mission maintains very close contact with the Macao Economic and Trade Office to the WTO. The Mission will fully support Macao, China in actively participating in various activities within the WTO framework, and help Macao play its role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, she said.

Also present at the meeting were: the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Chan Kak; the Director of the Macao Economic and Trade Office to the World Trade Organization, Ms Lúcia Abrantes dos Santos; Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO, Mr Hu Yingzhi; and Minister-Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO, Mr Fu Jingjie.