Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai stated in Madrid that cooperation with Spanish-speaking countries is a strategic priority for the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), during an official visit to Spain accompanied by a business delegation.
Reviewing the trip, Sam Hou Fai said that engagement with the Hispanic world represents “another open window” in the development of Macau’s international relations. He also stressed that the Region aims to consolidate its role as China’s gateway to the world, adding that Spain could serve as an entry point in that process.
During the visit, the Chief Executive also indicated that he would like to see the services of Macau’s delegation in Lisbon extended to Spain, signalling an intention to strengthen institutional presence and coordination with the Spanish market.
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At the official reception held in Madrid, Sam Hou Fai highlighted the creation, in 2025, of an Economic and Trade Services Centre and a Development Fund, with an initial allocation of one billion renminbi, aimed at promoting cooperation between China, Portuguese-speaking countries, and Spanish-speaking countries.
According to the Chief Executive, this initiative seeks to expand Macau’s role as a platform for external engagement, strengthening economic and trade relations while creating new market opportunities. The visit to Spain, he added, also aimed to follow up on the consensus reached between Chinese and Spanish leaders and to explore new areas of cooperation.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai presides over the dragon and lion awakening ceremony during “Macao Night,” part of the tourism promotion event “Experience Macao Roadshow in Madrid”
The delegation included around 120 business representatives from mainland China, Macau, and the Hengqin Cooperation Zone, covering sectors such as technology, healthcare, tourism, and infrastructure. The goal was to promote contacts with Spanish companies and foster partnerships in areas such as trade, tourism, conventions and exhibitions, technological innovation, and sustainable industries.
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At a meeting with the Second Vice-President of the Spanish Senate, Concha Andreu Rodríguez, and in talks with Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, both sides expressed willingness to deepen cooperation in economic, trade, cultural, tourism, and technological fields.
In his final assessment of the visit, Sam Hou Fai noted the signing of 48 cooperation agreements, highlighting the positive outcome of the trip to Madrid and the mutual interest in strengthening ties between Macau and Spain.
In the tourism sector, the Chief Executive also met with the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, Shaikha Al Nuwais, with whom he discussed enhancing cooperation in areas such as training, research, and international promotion. Sam Hou Fai will now travel to Geneva and Brussels, where he will conclude his European tour before returning to Macau on Sunday.
