In 2017, the Ministry of Commerce, by fully implementing the spirits of the 19th CPC National Congress and thoroughly putting into practice the spirits of the important speech delivered by the General Secretary Xi Jinping when he attended the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland on July 1, further expanded the opening to Hong Kong and Macao and supported the economic and social development of Hong Kong and Macao with all work showing new highlights and making new breakthroughs.
I. Promoting CEPA upgrade, and promoting the opening to and cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao.
On June 28 and December 18, 2017, the Mainland signed the CEPA Investment Agreement and the CEPA Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement with Hong Kong and Macau respectively. These two agreements are an important part of CEPA upgrade, are specific implementation of the requirements for increasing the opening of the Mainland to Hong Kong and Macao and promoting CEPA upgrade, as proposed according to the arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and the "13th Five-Year Plan" of the state, and special economic and trade arrangements between the Mainland and Hong Kong and Macao according to the WTO rules under the framework of "one country two systems", and fully embody the Central Government's support for the economic development and long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao. Meanwhile, this was also the first time that the Mainland signed a foreign investment agreement by means of negative list and signed an independent agreement on economic and technological cooperation under the framework of a free trade agreement. It made beneficial attempt for maintaining the highest level of opening to Hong Kong and Macao and building a new open economy system.
The CEPA Investment Agreement comprehensively covered investment access, investment protection and investment promotion, connected to international rules, and had the feature of "one country two systems". With a high degree of openness and great protection, the CEPA Investment Agreement would directly benefit the investment and entrepreneurship of Hong Kong and Macao investors in the Mainland, enhance the competitive edge of Hong Kong and Macao and provide new space and create more favorable conditions for the prosperity, stability and development of Hong Kong and Macao. In respect of investment access, the Mainland retains only 26 inconformity measures in the field of non-service industry investment and adopted even more preferential liberalization measures in the areas of shipping, aircraft manufacturing and resource and energy exploration, clarified that it would continue to give Hong Kong and Macau the most favorable treatment, further enhancing the level of investment liberalization and facilitation between the Mainland and Hong Kong and Macao. In respect of investment protection, the CEPA Investment Agreement also made comprehensive and effective institutional arrangements for investors' relief and protection.
The "CEPA Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement" contained special chapters on the deepening of the "Belt and Road" cooperation and the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation, fully embodying the Central Government's support for Hong Kong and Macao to participate in the "Belt and Road Initiative" and the construction of the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area" and to integrate in the overall national development" .In addition, in combination with the respective strengths of Hong Kong and Macao and highlighting their respective characteristics, the CEPA Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement between the Mainland and Hong Kong incorporated the clause "Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualification" to provide institutional guarantees for Hong Kong to take advantage of professional services. The CEPA Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement between the Mainland and Macao contained a special chapter on "deepening the cooperation in the construction of the Sino-Portuguese business cooperation service platform in Macao", to help Macao enhance its international competitiveness and promote a moderately diversified and sustainable development of Macao economy.
II. Constantly enhancing influence and cohesion of the China-Portugal Forum and increasingly prominent role of the China-Portugal platform in Macao.
Over the past year since the Fifth Ministerial Conference of China-Portugal Forum was successfully held in Macao, 18 new measures, as announced by the Premier Li Keqiang, for promoting economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, the Action Agenda on Economic and Trade Cooperation and the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting the Capacity Cooperation jointly signed by the participating ministers, and other conference achievements were implemented positively and the cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries in various fields was further deepened. First, more frequent exchanges were made between governments, with more than ten high-level visits between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. The prime minister of Sao Tome and Principe and the president of Brazil successfully visited China in succession, and Zhang Dejiang, the chairman of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress, paid a successful visit to Portugal, firming the friendship between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. Second, humane communication was more and more hot: the number of Confucius Institutes opened in Portuguese-speaking countries increased to 17; the Christ Redeemer in Rio wore "China Red" during the Spring Festival; and bands from Cape Verde and Brazil performed in Beijing. Thirdly, the momentum of trade rebound was strong. From January to November 2017, the import and export between China and Portuguese-speaking countries increased by nearly 30% YoY, and the trade structure further tended to balance, bringing the great potential of economic and trade cooperation between China and Portugal into full play. Fourthly, the cooperation in infrastructure was promoted steadily and transportation was increasingly convenient. The 8th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum was successfully held in Macao, during which the Index of Infrastructure Construction in Portuguese-Speaking Countries was released for the first time. Direct flight between Beijing and Lisbon was realized, saving more than four hours compared with transfer flight.
In March 2017, as unanimously approved by the participating countries, the 12th regular meeting of the Permanent Secretariat of China-Portugal Forum formally adopted Sao Tome and Principe's joining in the China-Portugal Forum. As an important "puzzle" for China-Portugal Forum, Sao Tome and Principe's joining made this platform more complete, and China-Portugal Forum covered all countries in the world that use Portuguese as their official language.
Relying on the China-Portugal Forum, Macao played an increasingly prominent role as the service platform for business cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries: the headquarters of the China-Portugal Cooperation and Development Fund, the Sino-Portuguese youth innovation and startups exchange center were established in Macao in succession; the Sino-Portuguese platform complex completed the tender process and the construction was officially started; the Sino-Portuguese Entrepreneurs Federation Secretariat was undergoing the registration process in Macao; the content of "China-Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Cooperation and Talent Information Network" was further enriched; and the number of centers for exhibition of food of Portuguese-speaking countries established by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute and the Macao Chamber of Commerce in provinces and cities of the Mainland increased to 17.The connotation of Macao's China-Portugal platform was constantly improving and expanding. A good situation in which all sectors of society participate in and jointly build the platform and share achievements was taking shape.
In 2018, we will comprehensively and thoroughly implement the spirits of the 19th CPC National Congress and the deployment of the Central Economic Working Conference, implement new development ideas under the guidance of the Xi Jinping's thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, strive to complete the goal of CEPA update proposed in the 13th Five-Year Plan, further promote element flow between the Mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, support the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and the Macao platform, comprehensively promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong and Macao and support the integration of Hong Kong and Macao into the overall development of the country.
