“In Macao, there is major demand in a host of areas for Hungarian premium products and services”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in a telephone statement to Hungarian news agency MTI from Macao on Tuesday following talks with Chief Executive Ho lat Seng.

Mr. Szijjártó, who is the first Hungarian Foreign Minister to visit the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, emphasised: “Thanks to its hotel and casino industries, which generate major revenues, Macao can boast one of the world’s highest per capita GDP’s, and accordingly the region with a population of half a million is extremely affluent”. “In addition, similarly to Hong Kong, Macao also highly appreciates the fact that Hungary never interferes in its internal structure or its relationship with China. Together, these two factors afford an excellent opportunity for premium Hungarian goods and services to appear on the Macanese market”, the Minister underlined.

With relation to Macao’s unique characteristics, the Hungarian Foreign Minister told the press: “In view of Macao’s size and highly urban nature, there is no room for agricultural production, and accordingly practically everything is imported. With relation to agricultural products, there is particularly high demand for Hungarian beef, pork and chicken, and accordingly the Macanese administration would like to facilitate the appearance of such goods on the market in the upcoming period”. “Macao is looking for high quality services within the field of urban management, as a result of which there is major interest in Hungarian water management and wastewater treatment technologies”, the Minister highlighted.

Listing the main results of education and cultural cooperation between the two parties, Mr. Szijjártó mentioned the fact that Hungarian culture is particularly valued in Macao, as a result of which Hungarian artists and bands have been invited to several international cultural events and festivals, in addition to which a series of Hungarian cultural programmes will also be diversifying the palette of international programs on offer in Macao. The Minister also pointed out that based on the scholarship agreement between the two parties, young people from Macao will soon be able to begin their studies at Hungarian universities, while Hungarian students are also awaited in Macao.

(MTI)