The Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), Sam Hou Fai, arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, on the morning of 18 April, commencing the current Government's first official overseas visit.

Portugal is the first destination of this trip to Europe. The official delegation, led by Sam Hou Fai, was received upon arrival at Lisbon Airport by the Chinese Ambassador to Portugal, Yang Yirui, the State Protocol Advisor from the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pedro Leite de Sampaio, and the Consul-General of Portugal in Macao, Alexandre José dos Reis Leitão.

On the first day of the visit to Portugal, Sam Hou Fai presided over the opening ceremony of the exhibition "Reflections of the Sea of Mirrors: 500 Years of Exchange between Chinese and Western Civilisations in Macao" in the afternoon, co-organised by the MSAR Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Macao Scientific and Cultural Centre in Portugal. In the evening, Sam Hou Fai held a meeting, exchange and dinner with Macao students studying in higher education institutions in Portugal.

The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, O Lam, who is a member of the delegation, also presided over the opening ceremony of the exhibition "China: Window of Culture", organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, and designed and produced by the Sino-Lusophone Friendship and Cultural Exchange Association of Macao.

(Source: Government Information Bureau of Macao SAR, on 18 April)