The opening ceremony of the “Training Center of Forum Macao – Online Colloquium on Blue Economy for Portuguese-speaking Countries,” organized by the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) and hosted by the City University of Macau (CityU) took place recently. Secretary-General Ji Xianzheng of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao and Dean José Alves of the Faculty of Business of CityU delivered their remarks at the virtual event.
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According to Mr. Ji Xianzheng, Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, “marine cooperation is an integral part of the Strategic Plan for Economic and Trade Cooperation of the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macao, to which the Permanent Secretariat has attached great importance.” Mr. Ji said the Colloquium was first of its kind held by the Permanent Secretariat on the blue economy with topics related to the economic and social development of Portuguese-speaking countries, such as the law of the sea, the sustainable development and exploitation of marine resources, the maritime economy and blue tourism. He hoped that all parties involved could leverage Macao’s positioning as the platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries to promote further cooperation in the blue economy, stimulating the recovery and sustainable development of the global economy in the post-pandemic era.
In his address, Dean José Alves pointed out that China and Portuguese-speaking countries share enormous cooperation potential on the blue economy, in which both sides reserve vast marine resources. He said the Colloquium featured experts in the blue economy to share insights and case studies, allowing participants to learn from successful practices in marine governance and blue economic development. Dean Alves hoped the Colloquium could promote new ideas and provide an exchange platform for both sides.
The seminar would carry out seven online sessions from 30 September to 13 October. About 400 bureau-level officials from the nine Portuguese-speaking countries of Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste will attend the sessions online.
The participants would attend workshops on the challenges and opportunities of the blue economy, the law of the sea and maritime law, innovation and marine resources, sustainable blue tourism, coastal management, communications in the ocean and coastal management, and blue economy strategies. In addition, representatives from the Interdisciplinary Center of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) of Portugal, Ocean University of China, Shanghai Ocean University and Guangdong Ocean University would be invited to attend the round table meeting on the “Blue Economy and Ocean Sustainability”.
Source: Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao)
