The visiting Macao chief Ho Hau Wah and European Commission President Jose Barroso agreed on Monday to further strengthen the relationship between Macao and the European Union (EU).

Both leaders made the commitments during their meeting at the headquarters of the European Commission.

Ho said after the meeting that they had reviewed EU-Macao cooperation over the years and had agreed to strengthen cooperation in the environmental protection industry.

He said some EU member-countries were keen to capitalize on the mediating function of Macao and the Pan-Pearl River Delta regional cooperation scheme, to enter the environmental protection industry in the mainland of China.

Currently Portugal and four other European countries were involved in public utilities in Macao, such as water supply, electricity and water treatment.

Ho, who is in Brussels on his official visit to the EU and Belgium, will also visit Portugal later this week.

Source: Xinhua