Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai arrived in Geneva, Switzerland, on the afternoon of the 23rd, continuing his official overseas visit with a meeting at the World Trade Organization (WTO) with Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on strengthening Macau’s position within the multilateral trading system, as well as on the city’s role as a bridge between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries and the promotion of economic and trade relations with WTO members.
Sam Hou Fai thanked the WTO for its continued support of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) in participating in multilateral activities. He noted that Macau, China, as a founding member, has actively contributed to the functioning of the global trade system. He also highlighted the role of the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Geneva, which maintains regular contact with the organization’s secretariat.
The Chief Executive also mentioned Macau’s participation in the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference, held in March, where the Macau SAR expressed its position on the future of the multilateral system and voiced support for the integration of the “Agreement on Investment Facilitation for Development” into the organization’s legal framework.
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During the meeting, Sam Hou Fai presented the latest overview of Macau’s economic development, highlighting the implementation of President Xi Jinping’s directives and the leveraging of the advantages of the “one country, two systems” principle.
He noted that the Macau SAR is committed to strengthening the coordination between national strategies and initiatives such as “One Center, One Platform, One Base” and “One Hub,” consolidating Macau’s role in opening the country to the outside world.
The Chief Executive also emphasized that Macau will continue to support the WTO’s efforts to defend the multilateral trading system, paying particular attention to the integration of small economies. He took the opportunity to invite Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to visit Macau to gain firsthand insight into the SAR’s economic and social development since its return to China.
For her part, the WTO Director-General welcomed Sam Hou Fai, highlighting Macau’s active contribution to the organization’s work. She noted that the secretariat maintains close cooperation with the Macau delegation in Geneva and emphasized the importance of the region’s participation in the ministerial conference.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized that, despite global challenges, she hopes Macau will continue to collaborate with the WTO in promoting multilateral trade. She also expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the Macau SAR and its role as a platform for cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries, hoping that Macau will contribute to the accession of more lusophone countries to the organization.
She further highlighted the importance of Macau’s contribution to the development of specific WTO funds aimed at facilitating the integration of small economies into global trade. Sam Hou Fai responded that the SAR will continue to provide active support, emphasizing that Macau’s experience as a small economy enables it to play a significant role in this process.
The meeting was attended by several dignitaries, including the Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive, Chan Kak; the Head of the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon, Lúcia Abrantes dos Santos; the Deputy Director-General of the WTO, Zhang Xiangchen; and the Chief of Staff to the Director-General, Bright Okogu.
