New measures to support Portuguese-speaking countries

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang addresses the opening ceremony of the 4th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, an inter-governmental multilateral cooperation mechanism, in Macao, Nov. 5, 2013. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang announced in Macao on Tuesday eight new measures to support the development of Portuguese-speaking countries in the coming three years.

Under the new policy, China will provide 1.8 billion yuan (2.95 billion U.S. dollars) in concessional loans to Asian and African members of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, with priority to support infrastructure facilities and production projects.

Addressing the opening of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the forum, Wang said China will share successful experience with Portuguese-speaking countries in the development of special economic zones and development zones for the establishment of overseas trade and economic cooperation zones in these countries that are interested in such zones.

China will help build one education and training facility, provide one batch of radio, television and media equipment for each Asian and African member of the forum in the next three years, while arranging training sessions for 2,000 people in various fields from the Asian and African members, Wang said.

In the three years, China will provide a total of 1,800 scholarships to Portuguese-speaking countries and send 210 persons/ times of medical staff to Asian and African members of the forum.

Meanwhile, an information-sharing platform will be set up in Macao to facilitate the exchange and cooperation among Chinese- and Portuguese-speacking talent and businesses in all sectors, he said.

China will also develop trilateral cooperation projects with Asian and African members of the forum with priority givin to education and training, agriculture, environmental protection, and new energy, the vice premier added.

Wang said that China and Portuguese-speaking countries, based on their own advatages in capital, technologies, resosurces and markets, enjoy good conditions and huge potentials for cooperation.

To further broaden economic scales and deepen cooperation on investment, agriculture, tourism and some other realms between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, Wang said, both sides should be farsighted and equipped with pragmatic measures, and strive to reach a trade volume of more than 160 billion U.S. dollars in 2016.

Wang arrived here on Monday to attended the opening of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the forum. During his stay in Macao, the vice premier also visited the new campus of the University of Macau in Henqin of Guangdong province in south China, accompanied by Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region Chui Sai On.