HENGQIN, China, September 10, 2026 — The opening ceremony of the 5th China (Macao) High-quality Consumption Exhibition & Hengqin Global Bay Areas Forum (CHCE) was held on September 10 at Tianmu Qintai in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Under the theme “A New Consumption Cycle; A New Gateway to Global Markets,” this year’s forum brings together industry leaders and experts to discuss macroeconomic trends, brand strategy, cross-border e-commerce, financial services and other key topics, exploring new pathways for Chinese consumer brands to upgrade and expand internationally through the integrated development of Hengqin and Macao.
The event is hosted by Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited. In his opening remarks, Fu Jianguo, Chairman of Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited, said that as household incomes rise and consumption patterns continue to evolve, China’s consumer market is entering a new cycle characterized by greater emphasis on quality, branding and internationalization.
Since its launch, CHCE has been rooted in Hengqin and Macao while maintaining a global outlook, with the aim of building a platform for the exhibition and trade of high-quality consumer goods as well as international exchange and cooperation. The theme of this year’s event reflects the changing landscape of consumption and seeks to explore effective pathways for Chinese brands to reach global markets.
As a flagship exhibition jointly cultivated by Hengqin and Macao and held on a recurring basis, CHCE serves as an important platform for promoting the integrated development of the two regions and supporting national strategies. It also contributes to Macao’s pursuit of an appropriately diversified economy and provides a dynamic example of the continued practice of the “one country, two systems” principle.
Irene Pivetti, former President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy, Chairwoman of the Eurasia-Mediterranean Cooperation Council and President of the Italy-China Friendship Association, said in her remarks that CHCE’s innovative “one event, two venues” model makes full use of Macao’s role as a gateway to Portuguese-speaking countries and Hengqin’s strategic advantages as an open platform.
She noted that CHCE has developed into an international platform for high-quality consumption exchanges, cross-border trade innovation and industrial matchmaking, building bridges between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and markets in Portuguese-speaking countries, Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. She expressed hope that the event would further deepen cooperation in cross-border consumption connectivity, mutual recognition of standards and the development of multi-level cooperation ecosystems, contributing to the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area.
At the keynote session, Shao Yu, Deputy Chairman of the Chief Economists Forum of China, and renowned brand strategy expert Li Guangdou delivered keynote presentations focusing on economic-cycle trends, global brand strategies and practical approaches to international expansion.
Shao Yu analyzed current consumption trends and the growing momentum behind Chinese companies expanding overseas from a macroeconomic perspective. He said China’s economy is at a critical stage of shifting from old growth drivers to new ones, with emerging drivers gaining momentum. Against this backdrop, businesses across industries should seize new opportunities by developing services consumption, the experience economy and premium Chinese brands, while moving beyond exporting products to building global brands. Innovation and openness, he added, will remain key to unlocking new drivers of high-quality growth.
Li Guangdou, speaking on “Brand Strategy and Consumption Segmentation — Quality Growth and Global Expansion for Chinese Brands,” said Chinese brands are entering a “DeepSeek moment,” with four major trends emerging: premiumization, supply-chain breakthroughs, cultural exports and Chinese standards, as well as the rise of new Chinese brand icons. He called for greater use of cultural storytelling, narrative-driven marketing and intellectual property to help Chinese brands move from competing primarily on price and products to creating greater cultural and brand value in international markets.
The thematic presentations then addressed the key question of how Chinese consumer brands can reach Portuguese-speaking markets through Hengqin and Macao, covering the full journey from strategic awareness and practical implementation to channels and supporting services.
Liu Dingji, a professor at the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Macau, said Chinese consumer brands can leverage the integrated advantages of Hengqin and Macao and make use of initiatives such as “Made under Macao Supervision,” “Manufactured under Macao Supervision” and “Designed in Macao,” together with e-commerce channels, to use the region as a springboard to expand into domestic and overseas markets.
Qiu Zhiming, Chairman of Beifa Group, said manufacturers should embrace changes in the global business environment and pursue deeper internationalization. By strengthening technological innovation, supply-chain collaboration and AI-enabled development, Chinese manufacturers can accelerate the transition from simply exporting products to building internationally recognized brands.
He Jiahuan, head of the channel ecosystem team at Mercado Libre, said Latin American markets offer both substantial existing demand and strong growth potential. Hengqin and Macao can serve as strategic launchpads for Chinese companies entering Latin America, while established local platforms can help address market-entry challenges and reduce the costs and risks associated with trial and error.
Liu Yanxin, Senior Administrative Officer of the Secretariat of the China-Portugal-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Services Center, said that although companies seeking to enter Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking markets face various challenges, Hengqin and Macao can serve as a distinctive gateway. Through the China-Portugal-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Services Center, companies can access full-cycle support, integrated professional resources and lower market-entry costs, making international expansion more efficient and manageable.
He Ye, General Manager of the Business Department of the Macao Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China, emphasized that financial services are a fundamental pillar of companies expanding overseas. Financial support should cover five key areas — settlement, financing, risk hedging, fund management and compliance advisory — and accompany companies throughout every stage of their international expansion. Systematic financial solutions, he said, can help businesses from Hengqin and Macao navigate the Portuguese-speaking markets with greater confidence.
This year’s CHCE continues its innovative “one event, two venues” model and is the first UFI-certified exhibition in China to adopt a cross-border format linking Hengqin and Macao. A series of sub-forums under the Hengqin Global Bay Areas Forum began in Hengqin on September 9, followed by the opening ceremony and main forum at Tianmu Qintai on September 10. The CHCE exhibition will be held from September 11 to 13 at the Cotai Expo of The Venetian Macao.
The forum and exhibition are designed to create a mutually reinforcing ecosystem in which the forum drives exhibition participation and the exhibition generates business opportunities. Speakers, exhibitors and industry buyers will engage in in-depth exchanges, while product launches, brand presentations, business matchmaking and on-site signing ceremonies will help turn the ideas and consensus generated at the forum into concrete business outcomes.
About The China (Macao) High-quality Consumption Exhibition & Hengqin Global Bay Areas Forum
The China (Macao) High-quality Consumption Exhibition & Hengqin Global Bay Areas Forum leverages the unique geographic advantages of Macao and Hengqin to create a key platform for high-quality product and service brands to showcase their offerings across the two regions and connect with consumer markets in Portuguese-speaking countries. Its forum program further promotes industrial collaboration between Hengqin and Macao’s four key industries and their counterparts in Portuguese-speaking countries, bringing together policy briefings, academic exchanges and the presentation of industry achievements.
Media ContactCompany Name: NAM KWONG INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION CO., LTD.Contact Person: GUO XINGYUEmail: Send EmailCountry: ChinaWebsite: https://www.gpzxbh.com/
