East China's Shandong province and Macao had an economic and trade exchange meeting during the 28th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair, which opened on Oct 19 in Macao.

The meeting was aimed at exploring international trade avenues for Shandong's agricultural products and cutting-edge agricultural technologies and new developmental opportunities.

During the event, a strategic partnership agreement was signed between the Shandong Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Macao-Shandong Association. Several Shandong enterprises also signed deals with Macanese trading entities.

"Shandong has abundant agricultural and marine resources, presenting tremendous development potential," said the executive member of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute's administrative committee.

Lin Guohua, an official from Shandong's Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, presented statistics that showcased Shandong's agricultural prowess. Shandong has maintained a leading position in China's agricultural export sector for 24 consecutive years.

Shandong has in recent years actively integrated itself into the Greater Bay Area national strategy by participating in exhibitions in key cities such as Hong Kong, Macao, and Shenzhen. Its product promotion campaigns have facilitated the certification of 248 production enterprises and two distribution centers, bolstering agricultural exports worth over 50 billion yuan ($6.84 billion) annually to the area.

"Macao, a world center for tourism and leisure, is also a platform for trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries," said Zhang Xinzhu, an official from Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong province.

Home to the China-Portugal platform and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao is well positioned to help Shandong enterprises go global, Zhang added.