Macao is pitching itself as a “precise connector” for mainland companies looking to tap fast‑growing Portuguese‑ and Spanish‑speaking markets, with Sichuan the latest province in its sights.

At a seminar in Chengdu on Wednesday, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (known by the Portuguese initials IPIM), together with Sichuan’s commerce authorities, hosted more than 100 representatives from leading Sichuan firms. Attendees came from sectors including machinery, electronics, new energy, new materials, technology services, food and agriculture. Organisers highlighted that Portuguese‑ and Spanish‑speaking countries together represent about 800 million consumers, and arranged over 50 on‑site business‑matching sessions.

IPIM director Sam Lei told companies that Macao’s strength lies in three areas: its long‑standing legal, linguistic and cultural ties with Portuguese‑speaking countries; one‑stop professional services covering market entry, legal advice, cross‑border settlement and project financing; and the expanded space created by the Macao‑Hengqin integration. He argued this combination allows mainland enterprises to “go global” with more certainty and lower risk.

Sichuan officials stressed that the province’s own industrial mix – from food processing and new energy to biomedicine and intelligent manufacturing – is well aligned with demand in Portuguese‑ and Spanish‑speaking markets. Trade between Sichuan and both Macao and Portuguese‑speaking countries continued to grow in 2025 and into the first quarter of this year, they said, adding that the Macao platform would be used to deepen practical cooperation and support outbound expansion.

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On the services side, IPIM introduced its “China‑PSC Business Compass,” a programme designed to guide companies into Portuguese‑speaking markets. 

Representatives from Macao’s China‑PSC service centre, a China-Portuguese‑speaking Countries cooperation and development fund, and local financial institutions outlined opportunities, funding tools and cross‑border financial products. A roundtable featuring case studies from mainland corporates that have already used Macao to expand abroad drew lively discussion.

While in Sichuan, the IPIM delegation visited a Chengdu service centre for firms going “beyond Sichuan and overseas,” as well as major enterprises, tech companies, university parks and health‑related research institutions. They also followed up on two live overseas projects, including a top‑500 Chinese company’s solid waste business in Brazil and a Fortune 500 player exporting building materials to Angola and Mozambique.

IPIM plans to take the “Macao Platform Advantages Promotion Seminar” to other mainland cities such as Nanjing and Fuzhou, after similar outreach to Greater Bay Area companies earlier this year. The goal, it says, is to position Macao as a key gateway for leading mainland enterprises expanding into Portuguese‑ and Spanish‑speaking markets, while supporting economic diversification at home.