Macao looks to international links to boost its economy

Located in the southwest of Guangdong, one of the fastest growing economic regions in China, Macao is renowned for its advantageous geographical location, open economy, well-established infrastructure facilities, free port policy, straightforward taxation system and comparatively low business costs. Added to these are its competitive business environment and its access to a range of international market networks.

Macao has made use of its strengths and resources to establish itself as a high quality and efficient regional business service center, providing convenient and effective trade and industrial services to local and overseas enterprises and utilizing its links with the mainland, a number of Portuguese-speaking countries, EU markets and overseas Chinese entrepreneurs.

Since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) in 1999, the area has experienced substantial social and economic development. The Macao economy sustained double-digit growth from 1999 to 2008 and an average annual GPD growth of 14 percent between 2000 to 2008. Its per capita GDP also increased to over $39,000. According to the WTO Trade Policy Review of the region in 2007, Macao's economy has remained one of the most open in the world.