Macau European Chamber of Commerce celebrates 7th anniversary
Witnessing mutual China-EU support amid pandemic
Macau, 26 November 2020
The Macau European Chamber of Commerce (herein referred to as “MECC” or “the Chamber”) commemorated the seventh anniversary of its incorporation today at a cocktail reception held at Macau Military Club, celebrating the special moment with distinguished guests and members.
The celebratory cocktail was attended by Mr. Lei Wai Nong, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macau SAR Government; Ms. Zhu Hong, Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau SAR;
Counsellor Ran Bo, Director of Policy Research of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macau SAR; Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Ms. Chan Tze Wai, Deputy Director of Macao Economic Bureau, and Mr. Sam Lei, Executive Director of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute.
Serving as a facilitator of relations between the European Union (“EU”) and Macau, the Chamber has actively organized online webinars despite the Covid-19 pandemic which has restricted business travelling. Speakers from Portugal, Brussels, Hengqin and Hong Kong were invited to share their views on recent business topics and discussed with MECC’s members.
Also, MECC has reaffirmed its commitment in recognizing local entities with a high level of European standards by presenting the 6th MECC Awards for Euroexcellence, which has a new category of Greater Bay Area Sino-Europe Cooperation to commend entities for being a leader or pioneer in opening up the Greater Bay Area for investors from Macau and Europe.
The 2020 MECC Awards for Euroexcellence went to:
- MECC Award for Euroexcellence in Luxury: Paris Store Co. Ltd., in recognition of its selection of fresh and high quality products imported directly from Europe for local consumers;
- MECC Award for Euroexcellence in Food and Beverage: Lord Stow’s Bakery, for its original recipe “Portuguese” Egg Tart which has become a Macau delicacy. The Bakery has become a tourist destination and a distinctive feature of Macau as the “Creative City of Gastronomy”;
- MECC Award for Euroexcellence in Innovation: Macau Pass S.A., for its pioneering mobile payment technologies in Macau which bring more convenience to locals’ lives;
- MECC Award for Euroexcellence in Greater Bay Area Sino-Europe Cooperation: German City Hengqin, a new and innovative mixed-use project in Hengqin.
Dr. Ambrose So, Honorary Consul of Portugal in Hong Kong and Honorary Chairman of MECC, said in his congratulatory video, “Tonight’s well-supported gathering is especially welcome, as we reset our priorities for Macau’s future, and look to grow smarter as the market recovers.” He added, “MECC continues to enjoy firm institutional and community support, and is positioned to embrace opportunities from the Greater Bay Area. This year the Chamber has visited Secretary for Economy and Finance Mr. Lei Wai Nong to express our members’ support to the Government for its policy initiatives. We have also met Counsellor Ran Bo, Director of Policy Research of the Commissioner’s Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macau SAR, who has encouraged MECC to seize emerging opportunities of the Greater Bay Area.”
Ambassador Thomas Gnocchi, Head of the EU Office to Hong Kong and Macao and Honorary Chairman of MECC, said in his video speech, “MECC plays a central role in maintaining and strengthening the EU-Macau relationship. It is a great platform for local EU businesses, which helps in promoting commercial, industrial, financial, scientific and other economic exchanges in Macau, and between Macau and Europe. The chamber – and everyone gathered here tonight – have formed a strong and vibrant community, central in keeping the EU-Macau relationship flourishing. As Macau seeks to diversify its economy, EU companies and EU talent have a fundamental part to play.”
Ambassador Paulo Cunha Alves, Consul General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong and Honorary Chairman of MECC, said, “2020 has been a particularly difficult year. While it is challenging time, we are also living in times of great opportunity. We keep looking attentively to projects that promote diversification of local economy, and the building up of the Greater Bay Area and Hengqin. In this framework, MECC continues to assume an important role to identify business opportunities for European enterprises with a presence in the region, acting as a promoter of networks, mutual knowledge and information exchange. We have to maintain our focus and further develop the path of commerce and cooperation between Macau and the EU.”
President of the Board of Directors of MECC, Mr. Carlos Simões, said in his speech, “Macau is very lucky to have a government that took swift measures to make the city safe during the pandemic. MECC has adapted to the new times but we kept working, such as donations to the Italian and the Spanish Red Cross for purchasing medical equipment, activating online platforms to promote services and products of local SMEs, as well as conveying to the Macau SAR Government the problems of local companies with European background and suggesting measures for faster economic recovery. Also, MECC would like to welcome the Austrian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macau as our new member.”
The MECC seventh anniversary cocktail event was supported by BNU as a Premium Sponsor, and has received generous sponsorship from multiple companies in the private sector, as honorary and special sponsors of the event.
