The Government of Timor-Leste, through the Secretary of State for Support and Promotion of the Private Sector and in cooperation with the Chinese Government, organized a dinner to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the launching of Forum Macau for economic and commercial cooperation between China and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries. The celebration took place at Areia Branca, Cristo Rei, Dili, last June 30th.
Veneranda Lemos, Secretary of State for Support and Promotion of the Private Sector, during her speech, stated that “Timor-Leste is ready to participate and contribute to the next ministerial conference, which will still take place during this year. Timor-Leste is a young nation, still developing, and the Government considers Forum Macau as an important additional cooperation mechanism in implementing policies designed to promote our economic and commercial relationships. It is, simultaneously, an important instrument for our cultural and educational exchanges, setting the tracks of our mutual union and understanding, which have made us possible to achieve, during this first decade of action, results on the human resources’ training area”.
The Secretary of State also added “Forum Macau’s training centre is the mirror and an excellency mechanism in strengthening the national efforts of capacity building of Timorese staff. Timor-Leste, being a young country, needs further support in the capacity building of its human resources, to turn the country into a desirable place for investment in the Asia-Pacific’s region. The future specific training referred by the Chinese Government, through Forum Macau’s Training Centre, is of major importance”.
Veneranda Lemos also took the chance to “greet and thank Forum Macau, and especially the Permanent Secretariat, for the earnest and dedication always demonstrated during this first decade of existence, which has been proven by common development on behalf of our people.”
According to Chang Hexi, Secretary-General of this forum, “Macau is setting up the bridge on economic and commercial cooperation between China and the Portuguese speaking countries, being the irreplaceable connecting link, which turns Macau into a very important platform in this cooperation. I hope that everyone here continues paying attention and support to Forum Macau’s development, taking actively part in the activities, as well as providing suggestion and advice to improve our works”.
Also present at this dinner, were other members of Government and National Parliament; the President of National Parliament, Vicente Guterres; the Ambassador Júlio Morais, the representative of Cape Verde’s Minister of Finance; the representative of Guiné-Bissau’s Minister of Economy; the Forum Macau’s Secretary General and their entourage; the diplomatic corps and the Heads of Delegation of Portuguese Speaking Countries.