Symposium on the Meaning of ‘One Road, One Belt’ Initiative for Portuguese-speaking Countries was held in CItyU

Jointly organised by City University of Macau, Maritime Silk Road Association (Macao) and Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM), the Symposium on the Meaning of ‘One Road, One Belt’ Initiative for Portuguese-speaking Countries was held in Ho Yin Convention Centre of CityU on 20 May. Director General of International Cooperation Center National Development and Reform Commission Cao Wenlian, President of Maritime Silk Road Association (Macao) Chan Man Hung, Consul of Consulate General of the Republic of Angola Sofia Pegado da Silva, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Economy of LOCPG and representative of the Commercial Office Chen Xing, Councillor of Consulate General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong Manuel Ricardo Silva, Director of Government Information Bureau Chi Ping, Representative of Timor-Leste of Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) (Forum Macao) Danilo Henriques, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Economy of LOCPG Wang Jiabao, Coordinator of the Support Office (Macao SAR Government) to Forum Macao Cristina Gomes Pinto Morais and Head of Ministry of Culture and Education of LOCPG Hong Bo have attended and spoke at the symposium. Rector Shu Guang Zhang represented the hosts to give a speech in which he welcomed the guests to gather in City University of Macau on its 35^th anniversary. It is hoped that the symposium can assist Macau in partaking the construction of ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative and enhance the collaboration between Portuguese-speaking countries.

The symposium focused on discussing the significance of Macau as the Luso-Chinese platform in advocating the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative as well as the direction, innovation and cooperation of future development. The symposium are divided into three echelons, namely the two seminars of “The Opportunities for Trade and Investment that the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative has Brought to Portuguese-speaking Countries” and “The Advantages Brought to the Creative Industries and SME by the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative” as well as the round table conference of “The Role of Macau in the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative”.

Seminar 1: The Opportunities for Trade and Investment that the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative has Brought to Portuguese-speaking Countries
The guest speakers are President of IEEM José Luís de Sales Marques, Director General of International Cooperation Center National Development and Reform Commission Cao Wenlian, President of Maritime Silk Road Association (Macao) Chan Man Hung, Head of Division of Products and Services. Banco Nacional Ultramarino Lin Hui Fang and Director of the Macau Portuguese and English Press Association José Carlos Matias.

Seminar 2: The Advantages Brought to the Creative Industries and SME by the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative
The main speakers are Professor of Institute for Research on Portuguese-speaking Countries Ivo Manuel Veiga Carneiro de Sousa, Professor of Department of Asian Studies of University of Minho (Portugal) Sun Lam, Associate Professor of Faculty of Business Administration of University of Macau Lei Chun Kwok and Doctor Zhang Hai Yan of University of Antwerp (Belgium).

Round Table Conference: The Role of Macau in the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative
The main attendants are Executive Associate Dean of FOB Eva Khong, President of the Executive Board of Macao Association for the Promotion of Exchange between Asia-Pacific and Latin America Ngai Mei Cheong, PhD. Rui Cunha of Rui Cunha Foundation, Assistant Professor of City University of Macau Chao Peng, Professor Tong Wei of China Foreign Affairs University and Assistant Professor Francisco Leandro of the Faculty of Creative Industries of University of Saint Joseph.

In the seminars and round table conference, the guests showcased their research on the aforementioned topics and expressed their opinions and advices.

The ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative promoted by China include two crucial strategies, namely the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road. 66 countries have joined the Initiative since its establishment in 2013. President Xi Jinping stated that the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative is an inclusive policy which welcome all countries to join. Thus, it is predicted that an increasing number of countries, including the Portuguese-speaking ones, will take part in the Initiative. In hope to provide constructive advices for the government, the symposium has invited scholars, governors and representatives from organisations to share their opinions.

The meeting is not only an in-depth analysis of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiative, it is also a comprehensive discussion of Macau as a unique platform in the Initiative. Making accurate and long-term arrangements for the internationalisation of Macau, the meeting has examined the establishment, cooperation, risk control and plans for security fund of projects with Portuguese-speaking countries. It aims to promote cross-sector development and face international finance with a pioneering mode of financing to assist Macau and Portuguese-speaking countries to further their development and step into a bright and fruitful developmental stage.

Rector Zhang giving a speech at the symposium

Director General of International Cooperation Center National Development and Reform Commission Cao Wenlian giving a speech at the symposium

Rector Zhang (middle) represented City University of Macau to sign a MoU with Maritime Silk Road Association (Macao) and Institute of European Studies of Macau

Group photo