Delegations of the “13th Conference of the Forum of Presidents of the Supreme Courts of Justice from Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Regions” visited the Public Prosecutions Office (2025-10-23)

On October 22, delegations of the Supreme Courts from seven Portuguese-speaking countries - Angola, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste, who participated in the “13th Conference of the Forum of Presidents of the Supreme Courts of Justice from Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Regions” held in Macao, visited the Public Prosecutions Office in the company of the President of the Court of Final Appeal of the MSAR, Ms. Song Man Lei. The delegations met with the Prosecutor General, Mr. Tong Hio Fong, and other prosecutor representatives, in a bid to foster exchange and cooperation between the courts of Portuguese-speaking countries and the MSAR Public Prosecutions Office.

During the meeting, the Prosecutor General Tong Hio Fong warmly welcomed the delegations, noting that their visit to the Public Prosecutions Office, following their presence at the Opening Ceremony of the 2025/2026 Judicial Year of the MSAR, alongside the Forum activities, demonstrated the profound friendship and high regard that the Supreme Courts of Portuguese-speaking countries have for the MSAR Public Prosecutions Office. Mr. Tong briefed the delegation on the primary duties of the MSAR Public Prosecutions Office as well as its work in criminal affairs and judicial cooperation with foreign countries. The two sides exchanged views on various topics related to judicial practice, such as cooperation between the Public Prosecutions Office and the criminal police organs in the MSAR, international mutual legal assistance, cybercrime investigations, and statutes of limitations.

In his concluding remarks, Prosecutor General Tong Hio Fong emphasized that Macao’s shared linguistic and cultural ties with Portuguese-speaking countries allow the city to serve as an irreplaceable platform for economic and trade cooperation, as well as cultural exchanges, between China and these countries. Exchanges and cooperation in the judicial field are becoming increasingly close, not only in the trainings, visits and academic seminars for judicial officials, but also in the in-depth understanding of and mutual learning from one another’s legal frameworks. In the face of common challenges such as transnational crime, cybersecurity risks and commercial disputes, he looks forward to further strengthening relations with the Lusophone countries’ judicial authorities to build faster, more effective cooperation mechanisms.

Following the meeting, the Public Prosecutions Office hosted a welcome luncheon for the delegation. Guests also included: Judges of the Court of Final Appeal, José Maria Dias Azedo and Ho Wai Neng; Acting Chief of the Office of the Court of Final Appeal, Celestino Lei; and Advisor, José Maria Rocha Abecasis. Attendees from the Public Prosecutions Office included: Assistant Prosecutors General, Ma Iek, Kuok Un Man, and Mai Man Ieng; Chief of the Office of the Prosecutor General, Wong Hio Nam; Prosecutors Coordinators Lai U Hou, Álvaro Dantas, and Leong Weng Si; Deputy Chief of the Office of the Prosecutor General, Ng Meng Tai; and Head of the Legal Affairs Department, Cheok Sin Chi.

Prosecutor General Tong Hio Fong and prosecutor representatives met with delegations of the Supreme Courts of Justice from seven Portuguese-speaking countries

Group photo of the Prosecutor General Tong Hio Fong, prosecutor representatives and the delegations

Prosecutor General Tong Hio Fong delivered a speech at the welcome ceremony