On 22 March 2018, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), met with Mr. Jackson Chang, President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, and exchanged views on ASEAN-China and ASEAN-Macao trade and investment cooperation. Ms. Susanni Aryanto, Senior Manager of Public Relations and External Cooperation Department of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, and Mr. Zhang Xuehai, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations Division of ACC, attended the meeting.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping gave an overview of the fruitful achievements of ASEAN-China trade and investment cooperation. She mentioned that ASEAN and China are important cooperation partners. China has been ASEAN’s top 1 trading partner for 9 consecutive years and ASEAN ranks the third largest trading partner for China for 7 years in a row. In 2017, the bilateral trade value reached USD 514.8 billion, and two-way accumulated investment approached USD 200 billion. At present, both sides are pushing forward the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the building of ASEAN Community. This year marks the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-China strategic partnership and the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation, all of which unveils broader prospects for both sides’ trade and investment cooperation.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping stated that ACC always takes trade and investment cooperation as a priority and is committed to promoting two-way trade and investment in support of the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. ACC continuously publicizes the upgraded version of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area and ASEAN Economic Community, and pushes forward the practical cooperation in production capacity, agriculture, connectivity, poverty reduction and other areas. In addition, ACC actively facilitates e-commerce cooperation and supports both sides’ enterprises, particularly medium- and small-sized enterprises, to enhance business-matching. ACC organized several ASEAN trade and investment promotion events in various cities and provinces of China and several Chinese investment missions to ASEAN countries, all of which established useful cooperation platforms to both sides’ enterprises. ACC would like to enhance communications with Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute and jointly promote ASEAN-China trade and investment cooperation so as to raise ASEAN-China relations to a new height.

President Jackson Chang welcomed Secretary-General Yang Xiuping to Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute and briefed on the Institute’s mandate and Macao’s trade and investment cooperation with ASEAN. He mentioned that since Macao returned to China, the GDP per person has increased from USD 15,000 to more than USD 70,000, and received tourists from 7 million to over 30 million. Macao is working to build the One Hub and One Platform, namely, world tourism and recreation hub, and business and trade cooperation service platform for China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries. While consolidating and improving the pillar industries, Macao is pushing forward the development of exhibition, Chinese traditional medicine, cultural creativity and other emerging industries, so as to achieve the goal of appropriate economic diversity and explore more business opportunities for domestic and overseas investors.

President Jackson Chang cited that ASEAN countries are important trade and investment partners of Macao. The Institute maintains close contacts and communications with its counterparts in ASEAN and actively discusses cooperation with relevant trade promotion agencies in ASEAN countries through Boao Forum for Asia, China-ASEAN Expo, Asian Trade Promotion Forum and other platforms. ACC is an important platform and channel for promoting two-way trade and investment cooperation. The Institute hopes to strengthen contacts with ACC and actively participate in various events held by ACC so as to continuously expand trade and investment exchanges with ASEAN countries, actively integrate Macao into regional cooperation and achieve greater development.

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