A training center to Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries was launched in Macao Tuesday, with an aim to help train 500 officials and technical personnel from Portuguese-speaking countries in the coming three years.

Chief Executive of Macao Special Administrative Region Chui Sai On, as well as ambassadors from Portuguese-speaking countries were among those who were present at the inauguration of the training center.

Officials of China and seven Portuguese-speaking countries signed last November the Economic and Trade Cooperation Action Plan 2010-2013 in Macao, setting a new goal to expand trade volume and cooperation in the fields of education and human resource development between China and the seven Portuguese-speaking countries in the coming years.

As one of the measures to be taken between 2010 and 2013 to help boost the development of less-developed Portuguese-speaking countries, the training center will help train 156 persons through six training classes this year, with a final aim to help train 500 from Portuguese-speaking countries in three years.

Aside from enhancing education and personnel cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, the training center is expected to promote information exchange and trade cooperation for member countries through meetings and seminars, according to the Secretariat of the Forum.

Sponsored by China's Ministry of Commerce and hosted by the government of Macao Special Administrative Region, the Forum was created in Macao in 2003, with the joint participation of seven Portuguese-speaking countries, namely Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and Timor-Leste.

Chang Hexi, Secretary-General of Secretariat of the Forum, said that China has organized more than 210 training programs for Portuguese-speaking countries and trained well over 2,400 officials and technique personnel by the end of 2010.

Chang believed that the operation of the training center would make further contribution to economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and further improve Macao's international image.