The Macao Special Administrative Region plans to broaden its role as a bridge between China and overseas markets by expanding its long-established trade platform for Portuguese-speaking countries to include Spanish-speaking economies during China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), according to a senior official.

Che Weng-keong, president of the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute of the Macao Special Administrative Region, said on Monday that Macao will continue to strengthen its role as the nation's platform for economic and trade cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries while extending its outreach to Spanish-speaking nations in Europe and Latin America.

The 15th Five-Year Plan presents a major opportunity for Macao to leverage its unique position under the "one country, two systems" framework and its status as a free port, he said in an interview at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex.

Trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries has grown from $11 billion in 2003 to $225.8 billion in 2025, according to official data.

Under the plan, Macao will continue to build on longstanding cooperation established through ministerial-level forums, business matchmaking events, exhibitions and investment initiatives with Portuguese-speaking countries.

At the same time, significant potential exists to expand cooperation with Spanish-speaking economies.

Che said the expansion is a natural progression because Portuguese and Spanish share linguistic and cultural roots, while many of China's trading partners in Latin America are Spanish-speaking countries.

To support the expansion, Macao will strengthen partnerships with organizations in Spanish-speaking countries, recruit more local professional teams to assist Chinese companies entering overseas markets, and incorporate more Spanish-language elements into major trade and investment events.

For example, more Spanish-speaking exhibitors and enterprises will be invited to participate in the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair in October, one of the city's largest annual business events.

By combining its established connections with Portuguese-speaking countries and its growing engagement with Spanish-speaking economies, Macao hopes to enhance its international reach while contributing to the country's development goals during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Che said.

"Macao can serve as an important window for overseas enterprises seeking opportunities in China's vast market," he said.