The third Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries opened in Macao on Saturday, which was attended by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders of the Portuguese-Speaking Countries.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries in Macao, south China, Nov. 13, 2010. [Xinhua]

The Forum is an important platform and link, through which China and the Portuguese-speaking countries can carry out cooperation of mutual benefit and friendliness, said Wen in his speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the third Ministerial Conference of the Forum.

Sponsored by China's Ministry of Commerce and hosted by the government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), the forum was created in Macao in 2003, with the joint participation of seven Portuguese-speaking countries, namely Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and Timor-Leste.

Referring to the two sides' economic and trade ties, Wen said that well-known products from the Portuguese-speaking countries such as coffee, cashew nut, wine, etc. has been served on more and more of Chinese people's dining tables, while those affordable but high quality Chinese goods for everyday consumption has enriched the markets of the Portuguese-speaking countries, which was widely welcomed by the local consumers.

For the first three quarters of 2010, trade volume between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries amounted to 68.2 billion U.S. dollars, a significant increase of 57 percent over last year, figures from China's central government indicated.

In past years, China's assistance to less developed Portuguese- speaking countries benefited local people there, said Wen.

Since the founding of the forum, China has provided 3.56 billion yuan (537 million U.S. dollars) of aid to Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and Timor-Leste.

China also canceled about 230 million yuan of debt in form of all the interest-free government loans that owned by the five countries.

A serious of significant projects completed in these countries with help of China have become symbols of friendship between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, generating good economic and social effects, Wen said.

Meanwhile, cooperation between the two sides has gradually expanded from economic and trade fields to aspects of education and culture, etc., and cooperation in human resource development has been greatly strengthened.

Up to now, China has held more than 200 training programs for Portuguese-speaking countries, which successfully trained over 2, 100 officials and technique personnel for the countries.

Apart from the promotion of the forum, highly complementary in economies between China and Portuguese-speaking countries served as the foundation for prosperous economic and trade development between the two sides, which is also in accordance with fundamental interest of the countries, said Wen.

Referring to future cooperation, Wen emphasized that the two sides should expand bilateral trade scale, striving to reach a total of 100 billion U.S. dollars of trade volume in 2013; push forward two-way investment; actively explore new fields of cooperation; and fully exert the role of Macao as a platform for and link between the two sides.

The third Ministerial Conference of the Forum was graced for the first time by the heads of states and governments, and it has become a unique opportunity to promote the trade and investment development between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, said Jose Socrates, prime minister of Portugal, in his speech delivered at the opening ceremony.

No one should let go such an opportunity, Socrates added.

The strengthened cooperation those countries forged under the framework of the forum will contribute to the harmonious development of nations and the regions, Socrates said.

Around 1,500 officials and representatives from China and the seven Portuguese countries participated in the conference, according to the secretariat of the forum.

Under the main theme "Diversified Cooperation, Harmonious Development", various activities will be held during the conference period, including the "Ministerial Conference" and the "Conference for Professionals in Finance".

At the end of his speech, Wen also mentioned China will adopt a serious of measures from 2010 to 2013 to help Portuguese-speaking countries, which include establishing a fund of one billion U.S. dollars to promote further financial cooperation. (one U.S. dollar is equivalent to 6.62 yuan)

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