The promotion of Macau as a platform in relations between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries is a priority for the newly appointed Deputy Secretary-General of Forum Macau, Echo Chan Keng Hong.

The economist, who spoke to reporters on Tuesday, said that there were objectives to develop in the Macau Platform along with initiatives and related projects but stressed that their implementation required the cooperation of the Portuguese-speaking countries.

Echo Chan noted that of the 18 measures announced by the Chinese Prime Minister, Le Keqiang, at the 5th Ministerial Conference of Forum Macau, five directly target the institution and they will be her priority and main job – to transform Macau into a financial services platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, to establish the Confederation of Entrepreneurs from China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, the Cultural Exchange Centre and the Exchange Centre on Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Youth between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

The Deputy Secretary-General also referred to the recent decision of Sao Tome and Principe to re-establish diplomatic relations with China saying Forum Macau “is open” to the West African country becoming a future Forum Macau member but added that so far no request had been made to Macau, for the subject to be discussed.

The announcement of Echo Chan’s nomination to the position was made through an official statement issued on 6 January.

Echo Chan was previously the Deputy Secretary-General at the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macau between March and October 2015, when she stepped down for personal reasons.

The economist, who was advisor to the Secretary for the Economy and Finance, Leong Vai Tac, replaces Cristina Morais, who was Deputy Secretary-General of Forum Macau between October 2015 and October 2016.

The Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macau is headed by Secretary General Xu Yingzhen, appointed in August 2016 by the Chinese Trade Ministry and has two deputy secretaries general.

One of the Deputy Secretaries-General is appointed by Macau, who is now Echo Chan, and another appointed by the Portuguese-speaking countries that are part of Forum Macau, which in this case is Mozambique diplomat Vicente de Jesus Manuel.

Forum Macau, created in October 2003, is an official initiative of China, through the Ministry of Commerce, based in Macau, which aims to strengthen cooperation and economic exchanges between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries with Macau as a privileged platform. (macauhub)