The Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) is Macao’s largest international integrated exposition offering opportunities for trade promotion, product display, commercial partnering and sales promotion. Over the years, it has played an active role in attracting overseas investment, expanding imports and exports and facilitating trade and business co-operation. It has also provided a good channel for Macao and overseas exhibitors and business people to promote their products and services, enhance their corporate image and build client relationships.

After Macao’s handover to China, Macao has actively taken part in business co-operation throughout the region, of which regional co-operation in the Pan-Pearl River Delta will be extended to Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi and Hainan. This, coupled with the SARs of Hong Kong and Macao, forms the “9+2” extensive hinterland covering 2 million square kilometres. Within this framework, Macao will be able to play a full role as an economic and trade service platform, especially between Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Portuguese-speaking countries are a market with good development potential and will complement the economic development of China. Given its unique historical and cultural background, Macao will continue to strengthen its own competitive advantage to become the economic and trade co-operation platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Since its inception MIF has always attracted delegates and entrepreneurs from Portuguese-speaking countries, to set up an exhibition featuring Portuguese-speaking countries as well as related activities, providing a good opportunity for other exposition participants to interact and co-operate with them.

We warmly welcome local and overseas government institutions, economic and trade organisations, chambers of commerce and various enterprises to the 11^th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair. We hope that through the gathering of high profile industrial and commercial business people, this grand event will promote cross-regional economic co-operation and embrace new development opportunities.