Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On on Thursday urged the members of the government’s working committee for the Development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to consolidate the consensus of local society, “tell good stories” about Macau and be a “promoter” in the process of building the BRI, according to a statement by the Macau Government Spokesperson’s Office.
Chui also told the members of the government-appointed committee to “organically combine” the development of the BRI project, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) development and the development of Macau, adding that the members should, at the same time, raise local residents’ “national consciousness and patriotic spirit”, the statement said.
Chui made the remarks while chairing the 3rd plenary meeting of the working committee for the development of the BRI at Government Headquarters in Nam Van. Four of the government five policy secretaries and other senior officials, about 20 people in total, attended the closed-door meeting, the statement noted. Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac did not attend the meeting.
In his speech, Chui noted that the BRI development is the central government’s “top” strategy both on the international and domestic levels, which will play an important role in the future, the statement underlined.
The committee, which is headed by the chief executive, was established in 2017, According to its statutes, the committee aims to advance Macau’s contribution to the development of the central government’s tri-continental Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st -Century Maritime Silk Road – the two parts of the BRI.
‘Due contributions to the nation’
Chui said that Macau was determined to participate and play its role in the BRI development by consolidating its own advantages, as well as by increasing the city’s comprehensive strengths and, at the same time, by making due contributions to the nation, the statement said.
‘New agreement, new energy’
Chui pointed out that in the past year, the committee has been making progress thanks to the various roles played by the government’s five policy secretaries and public services, pointing out that at the end of last year the government signed an important agreement with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), which has poured “new energy” into Macau’s participation in the BRI development, the statement noted.
According to the statement, the agreement is known as “Arrangement between the National Development and Reform Commission and the Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) for Advancing Macau’s Full Participation in, and Contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative”.
For the next phase of the committee’s work, Chui urged its members to “persist” with the strategy of a stable process in participating in the BRI development, as well as to promote Macau’s own development at the same time, the statement said.
‘Be aware of changes’
According to the Macau Post Daily, Chui also told the committee that it should be aware of the changes on the international and domestic levels, collaborate with the nation’s overall strategy and take into consideration Macau’s reality, apart from upholding the principle of giving full play to Macau’s strengths to serve the nation’s needs, while being a “good participant in, and promoter of” the nation’s development, the statement noted.
