Bernardo Mendia, Secretary-General of the Portuguese-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, praised the scope of the visit, highlighting its symbolism in a delicate geopolitical moment. “Macau is a veritable aircraft carrier of Portuguese economic diplomacy, which we should strive to continue leveraging for the benefit of businesses and the economies of both regions,” he told our newspaper. “There is an opportunity to regain a strategic position within the Euro-Atlantic axis, where Portugal and Macau can once again engage in relevant dialogue.”
The Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance explained to PLATAFORMA that the visit aimed to “enhance Macau’s international projection as a cooperation platform” and “contribute to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.”
The official visit included stops in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Monaco. In Barcelona, the delegation participated in the 2025 Mobile World Congress and met with various entities in the sector to explore future collaborations in artificial intelligence, 5G, and digital transformation.
“Macau is a veritable aircraft carrier of Portuguese economic diplomacy” Bernardo Mendia, Secretary-General of the Portuguese-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.
In Lisbon, the delegation met with the Bank of Portugal, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation. The Sino-Portuguese Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence and Public Health Technologies was inaugurated, and agreements were signed between the Macau University of Science and Technology and the Nova University of Lisbon, reinforcing the focus on scientific cooperation and innovation as strategic pillars.
The external financing program of the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) was also promoted, with applications opening in April. The Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance added that the program aims to “support joint projects with foreign institutions and enhance Macau’s appeal as a scientific and technological hub.”
In Brussels, the delegation met with “representatives of the European Union and multilateral institutions headquartered in Belgium, in order to strengthen channels of dialogue and institutional cooperation.”
