On May 8, the Fifth International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, co-hosted by the China International Contractors Association and the Macao SAR Government Economic Bureau, grandly opened in Macau. Mr. Chui Sai On, Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Zhang Xiangchen, Assistant Minister of Commerce; Mr. Qiu Hong, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Mr. Cai Siping, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR; Mr. Lau Si Io, Secretary for Transport and Public Works of the Macao SAR Government; Mr. Stjepan Mesić, former President of Croatia; and Mr. Stephen Hammond, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the UK Department for Transport, together with more than 40 ministerial-level officials from various countries and regions around the world, jointly opened the curtain of this year's forum.

 

　　At the opening ceremony, Mr. Diao Chunhe, President of the China International Contractors Association, and Mr. Sou Tim Peng, Director of the Macao SAR Government Economic Bureau, delivered welcome speeches on behalf of the forum organizers. Assistant Minister of Commerce Zhang Xiangchen, former President of Croatia Stjepan Mesić, UK Department for Transport Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Stephen Hammond, Executive Vice President of the African Export-Import Bank Denys Denya, and Vice Chairman of KPMG International John M. Scott successively delivered keynote speeches around the theme of this year's forum, "Connectivity Provides New Impetus for International Infrastructure Cooperation."

 

　　This year's forum not only attracted 37 government officials at vice-ministerial level and above from 23 countries and regions around the world, but also more than 30 international financial institutions including the African Export-Import Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank; 17 industry organizations such as the International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors' Associations, the Romanian Association of Construction Contractors, and the Master Builders Association Malaysia; and more than 1,000 representatives of engineering contractors, equipment manufacturers, and industry service agencies from over 50 countries and regions.

 

　　The conference released the "China International Contractors Development Report 2013-2014," which provided a comprehensive and authoritative interpretation of the overall business situation, regional market conditions, and development of various professional fields of China's international contracting industry in 2013, and conducted a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the operating conditions of Chinese enterprises.

 

　　In the two thematic forums held on the afternoon of May 8, ministerial-level officials from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the UK Department for Transport, the Romanian Ministry of Economy, the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Dubai Economic Council of the UAE, and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Transport, together with senior executives from financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of China, and the Bank of China, as well as from Chinese international contracting enterprises, held lively discussions on the theme of "International Cooperation on Regional Connectivity Infrastructure."

 

　　The forum lasts for two days. In the following agenda, many industry elites will gather at four parallel forums: "Innovative Financing Methods: New Approaches for Chinese Contractors to Enhance Overseas Market Competitiveness," "Strategic Choices and Implementation for Investing in Infrastructure Markets of Developed Countries," "Infrastructure Cooperation: A New Milestone in China-Central and Eastern European Countries Cooperation," and "Social License and Sustainable Development of Infrastructure Connectivity in Latin America and the Caribbean," to express unique insights and views on hot industry topics.

 

　　In addition, the forum invited infrastructure ministers from multiple countries to hold a roundtable dialogue with Chinese contractors for high-level discussions on issues of mutual concern. Special exchange activities such as international infrastructure project presentations and a roundtable of international business association presidents will also be held. This year's summit forum will once again become an industry grand event for the international community to exchange ideas, obtain information, discover opportunities, and seek cooperation.