Sponsored by the Sino-Portuguese Forum (Macau) Training Centre and hosted by City University of Macau, the Opening Ceremony for Capacity-Building Seminar for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Portuguese-Speaking Countries was held at 11am on September 5^th, on the 4th floor of the University’s Golden Dragon Campus.

Guests attending the Opening Ceremony included Mr. Chang Hexi, the Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat for the Sino-Portuguese Forum, Mr. Chen Xiang, Deputy Director of the Economics Affair Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macau S.A.R., Mr. Sun Renan, the representative for the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People's Republic of China in Macau S.A.R., Miss Doroteia Rodrigues Pascoal da Silva, Consular Agent for the Republic of Angola in Macau S.A.R., Dr. Rita Santos, Deputy Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat for the Sino-Portuguese Forum’s and the representative for the Macau S.A.R. Government, Professor Yan Zexian, Rector of the City University of Macau, Mr. Gao Leile, Deputy Manager of the Public Relation Office for the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), the host on rotation for this Seminar, and representatives from Portuguese-speaking countries in the Sino-Portuguese Forum. Secretary General Mr. Chang Hexi, Rector Prof. Yan Zexian, Deputy Secretary General Dr. Santos and the host on rotation all gave speeches on the Ceremony.

This Capacity-Building Seminar for SMEs in Portuguese-Speaking Countries is the fifth seminar organized by the Sino-Portuguese Forum Training Centre this year, and the first one hosted by City U. The Seminar will be attended by 27 participants from different areas in government and business sector of five Portuguese-speaking countries: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Portugal. The Seminar will run from September 5th to 19th, activities mainly consist of lectures, exchange studies, visits and interactive activities, with curriculum content focuses on topics such as the characteristics and trends of socio-economic development in China, understanding SMEs’ cultures and investment environments in Macau and mainland China, Macau's role as a platform for China and Portuguese-speaking countries, introduction to Macau’s financial system, financing policy for SMEs and Macau’s overall investment environment, strategic analysis for Sino-Portuguese enterprise cooperation and development, legal and financial systems of Macau and mainland China, developmental strategy for business internationalization, and building the core competitiveness of SMEs.

Arranged by the Forum Training Centre, Seminar participants will also attend the Conference for Commerce Associations in Foshan, Macau and Portuguese-Speaking Countries, visit “Macau Ideas” and Macau S.A.R. Economic Services, participate in interactive exchanges with SMEs in Macau and more activities. Macau Tourist Office will arrange Seminar participants to visit a series of world heritage tourism sites, as well as new economic development districts representative of the area. Seminar participants will also attend the 16th China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Xiamen, exchanging experiences with SMEs and learning about the latest developments in the Mainland, and promoting business in Portuguese-speaking countries at the same time.

The purpose of this Capacity-Building Seminar for SMEs in Portuguese-Speaking Countries is to further strengthen the SMEs’ management and capacity-building abilities, and enhance their market competitiveness through experience exchanges between Macau and mainland China. It will also encourages exchanges and cooperations among SMEs in Macau, mainland China and Portuguese-speaking countries, promoting business opportunities and Macau’s role as a trade platform for China and Portuguese-speaking countries.