(Macau, 14 December 2021) The Macau European Chamber of Commerce (herein referred to as “MECC” or “the Chamber”) commemorated the eighth anniversary of its incorporation today at a cocktail reception held at the Macau Military Club, celebrating the special moment with distinguished guests and members.
The celebratory cocktail was attended by Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Representative of Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macau SAR Government and Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; 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; and Mr. Agostinho Vong Vai Lon, Executive Director of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute Board of Directors.
Serving as a facilitator of relations between the European Union (“EU”) and Macau, the Chamber actively organised visits to local businesses and institutions in the past year, where leaders of the community were invited to share their insights with MECC members.
Dr. Ambrose So, Honorary Consul of Portugal in Hong Kong and Honorary Chairman of MECC, said in his speech, “The Chamber has been preparing the next stage of its activities, to highlight progress and opportunities across Macau, Hengqin and 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, “The EU’s external trade will likely reach a record of EUR 4 trillion in 2021. This will help us recover faster and emerge from the crisis stronger.
This recovery is also reflected in the impressive trade with Macao more than doubling during the first six months of this year to a record of EUR 590 million. This makes the EU a larger trading partner for Macau than Hong Kong, Japan and the US combined.”
Ambassador Paulo Cunha Alves, Consul General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong and Honorary Chairman of MECC, said, “2022 will be the beginning of the operationalization of the Hengqin Cooperation Project, which will bring new dynamics to Macau’s economy and, I believe, new opportunities for foreign companies, European enterprises in particular. New partnerships will be created or further developed in this new framework of cooperation.”
President of the Board of Directors of MECC, Mr. Henry Brockman, said in his speech, “Macau has a strong historical brand and attractive identity, while proudly taking its place as part of the bigger GBA story. MECC and its members are listening carefully to the cues on how Macau and Hengqin should develop together.”
The MECC’s eighth anniversary cocktail event was supported by Banco Nacional Ultramarino, S.A., Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Macau), and SJM Resorts, S.A. as Honorary Sponsors, and has received generous sponsorship from multiple companies in the private sector, as special sponsors of the event.
Photos Captions
(Left to right)
- Mr. Henry Brockman – President of the Board of Directors of MECC
- Ambassador Paulo Cunha Alves – Consul General of Portugal in Hong Kong and Macau and Honorary Chairman of MECC
- 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 – Representative of Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macau SAR Government and Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office
- Mr. Agostinho Vong Vai Lon – Executive Director of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute Board of Directors
- Dr. Ambrose So – Honorary Consul of Portugal in Hong Kong and Honorary Chairman of MECC
Back row (left to right)
- Mr. Filipe Santos – Vice President of Supervisory Board of MECC
- Mr. Rutger Verschuren – Vice President of Board of Directors of MECC
- Mr. Henry Brockman – President of Board of Directors of MECC
- Mr. Carlos Álvares – Vice President of Board of Directors of MECC
- Mr. Andrew Evans – Treasurer of MECC
Front row (left to right)
- Mr. Jeremy Artan de Saint Martin – Secretary of the General Assembly of MECC
- Prof. Kit Thompson – Ambassador of MECC
- Dr. Ambrose So – Honorary Chairman of MECC
- Ambassador Paulo Cunha Alves – Honorary Chairman of MECC
- Mr. Dalibor Vodeničarski – Vice-President of the General Assembly