EU wants closer ties with Macau

The EU is keen on supporting the diversification of Macau’s economy, European Commission president José Manuel Barroso (CR) told Chief Executive Chui Sai On (CL)

The European Union (EU) is willing to expand cooperation with Macau, the president the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, said during a meeting with Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On in Brussels on Tuesday.
Barroso stressed that the EU intends to support the diversification of the territory’s economy.
“I had opportunity to exchange views on the impressive economic development of Macau,” Barroso told reporters at the end of the meeting, quoted by Portuguese news agency Lusa.
He emphasised that Macau has “one of the best economic performances of the world”, with a double-digit growth and a strong budget surplus.
However, he added that the MSAR delegation has informed him that the territory is striving to diversify its economy beyond the gaming industry, focusing mainly on tourism, leisure and quality services.
The European leader said that cooperation in the cultural area is important. He stressed that the University of Macau is seeking to become more international in the area of student and researcher exchanges and that could be a way to strengthen relations between both sides.
Barroso added that the meeting with Chui was “very useful” and emphasised it reflected the existing “good relationship between the EU and Macau that, in fact, falls within the context of good relations between the EU and the People’s Republic of China.”

Belgium visit

Chui also told reporters that the meeting was very positive, as there was an opportunity to weigh up cooperation ties over the last 20 years and plan for the future, in particular by strengthening commercial ventures, higher education and cultural activities.
He noted that cooperation in the education area has to focus on exchanges of students, teachers and researchers.
Macau and the EU signed a multidisciplinary cooperation agreement in 1992 and have strengthened it with various programmes over the years.
Also on Tuesday, Chui met with the deputy prime minister of Belgium, Didier Reyndres, to exchange views on strengthening cooperation and trade relations.
During the meeting the head of the Macau Government shared some information on the current development of Macau. On the other side, Belgian leaders expressed their interest in boosting trade relations in areas such as health care, pharmaceuticals and environment.
In addition, it was announced that Reynders, who is also the minister of Foreign Trade and European Affairs of Belgium, would visit Macau later this year, as part of an official visit to China and Japan.
This is Chui’s first visit to the EU as Chief Executive since he assumed office in 2009. The six-day trip to Brussels will end tomorrow.