Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai presented his widely anticipated maiden policy address today at Macao’s Legislative Assembly.
He opened his speech with references to the global economic instability wrought by Washington’s trade war against China, and the preparations that Macao needed to make to weather it. But Sam, who took office last December as the first CE to be born outside the city, mostly reiterated the key points of his campaign playbook. These included diversifying Macao’s economy, developing the SAR’s links with Hengqin and helping to safeguard national security.
[See more: Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai calls for an end to ‘blame shifting’ in government]
The Zhongshan native listed an ageing society, and economic headwinds facing the city’s small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), among the problems Macao faced. He also conceded that the government’s revenue would not be as high as forecast, noting that there may be a need to adjust the budget. However, Sam said Macao’s obstacles would be addressed by following “President Xi’s four points,” alluding to the task list the Chinese leader shared during his visit to the city last December. The latter included improving people’s livelihoods and lifting Macao’s global profile.
“This government will put the priorities of the public first,” Sam said, pledging that his administration will tackle the issues that matter most to residents.
Boosting Macao’s economy and ties with Hengqin
Sam said he would work to sustain Macao’s low levels of unemployment, and added that his administration would leverage Macao’s “position as a free port” to steady the economy. To support SMEs, he said his government would continue its work of promoting digitalisation of the sector. He added that he would also launch a SME bank loan interest subsidy scheme that will provide eligible businesses with a loan of up to 5 million patacas, with a 4 percent interest subsidy for three years.
He also mentioned the need to boost legislative and administrative efficiency, noting that interdepartmental communication and cooperation could be improved. “The SAR government has already set up six working groups for this purpose,” the leader said.
“Public servants need to consider issues from the perspective of the community,” Sam added.
[See more: UM reduces its 2025 Macao economic growth forecast to 6.8 percent]
A working group for Hengqin’s development has also been established, Sam said, pointing out that it would help the island achieve its second phase of development, which he considered to be one of the SAR government’s “key goals.”
The CE also stressed the need to amend regulations, guidelines and legal barriers that are preventing Macao and Hengqin from integrating with one another more closely. These included encouraging more Macao businesses to establish themselves in Hengqin, increasing the number of Macao-registered vehicles using Hengqin Port, as well as increasing the number of checkpoints.
Sam also stressed that he would continue to promote integration between Macao and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) in various sectors such as science and technology, finance and tourism.
“We will increase the interconnectedness of the infrastructure in the GBA,” the CE said.
Lifting Macao’s global profile
“The government will also promote Macao to the younger demographic,” Sam declared, pledging to make more effective use of social media and to encourage visitors to explore parts of the city beyond the established tourist districts.
He said he wanted to encourage more students from Portuguese-speaking countries and other destinations to study in Macao. At the same time, the CE pointed out he would support programmes that would allow more Macao students to study in Lusophone nations.
[See more: Macao needs to brace for a drop in tourist spending following US tariffs: expert]
Attracting international talent and luring former Macao residents to return to the city was also another goal of the government, Sam added.
Mention was also made of Macao’s role as a “connector” between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Sam said he would develop Macao as a launch pad for Portuguese products entering the GBA and would ensure that Macao plays its role as part of the Belt and Road initiative.
He later added that he would visit Southeast Asia this year, and that his government would look into opening two trade offices in the region to attract more high-end talents and visitors to Macao.
Macao and its casinos
As for the casino sector, Sam said his government would promote the “healthy and orderly” development of the industry and ensure that the concessionaires “strictly abide by the legislative regulations.”
The SAR government also intends to increase the use of digital technology in the industry’s management, Sam said.
[See more: Analysts divided on whether a forced sale of Macao’s US-owned casinos is a possibility]
The issue of investment was also brought up, with Sam pointing out that his administration would ensure the concessionaires continued the non-gaming related investments mandated under their licences, and would encourage them to devote more resources into Macao and Hengqin’s key sectors.
He said the government plans to develop an index to assess the non-gaming investments that are being made, in addition to scheduling reviews of the concessionaires’ performance in this area.
Macao’s domestic agenda
To support low-income families and disadvantaged individuals, Macao’s leader said he would be boosting the subsidy rates for various groups, including seniors and the disabled.
He confirmed that the payments to be made under the 2025 Welfare Partaking Scheme would amount to 10,000 patacas (roughly US$1,250) for permanent residents and 6,000 patacas (about US$750) for temporary residents.
The CE mentioned that families with children who are less than three years of age would receive a subsidy of 1,500 patacas (US$190) per month , with the annual payments coming to a total of 18,000 patacas (US$2,255). Meanwhile, the marriage subsidy would be boosted from the current 2,122 patacas to 2,200 patacas (US$275).
[See more: Macao’s demographic data for 2024 provides a snapshot of an ageing population]
With respect to healthcare, Sam said his government would continue to develop the Union Hospital. The CE also announced that “the value of the healthcare vouchers will be increased [from the current 600 patacas] to 700 patacas [about US$87].”
Public housing would also be a priority, with Sam pointing out that the speed of the development of the housing estates in Urban Zone A would be determined by the city’s need. In addition, the CE mentioned that he would tighten management of Macau Urban Renewal.
Acknowledging the frustration of residents, the CE said reducing the disruptions caused by roadworks would be a priority. Transport-wise, Sam said he would strengthen management of the public bus system and conduct an assessment of the current LRT network. Additionally, the civil servant said Macao’s airport would continue to improve its existing facilities, attract more carriers, and boost cooperation with Zhuhai’s airport in order to complement one another.
Sam meanwhile listed a number of new infrastructure projects, including the Macao-Hengqin International University Town, international integrated tourism and cultural districts in Macao and a technology research industrial park in Macao.
[See more: Macao’s ‘ultra-low’ birthrate has been highlighted in a UN report]
In relation to the environment, the Sam administration aims to boost the public’s awareness of recycling and raise the proportion of eco-friendly buses to 90 percent by the end of this year.
In terms of education, Sam mentioned that he would double down on patriotic education in schools and instill a love for the nation. The CE also made mention of a staggered plan to achieve the goal of constructing a Macao-Hengqin International University Town.
The CE also dedicated part of his speech on measures he would implement to support younger residents with their education, employment and entrepreneurship, including subsidies of up to 5,000 patacas. “Youths are the hope and future of Macao,” Sam declared.
‘Striving together’ for Macao
In concluding his speech, Sam stressed that “building a better future for Macao” was a “multi-generational” task, adding that it was important for the city to support the nation’s development. Ultimately, the CE said that he was confident the city would be able to embark on a new phase if it followed the principle of “striving together, upholding integrity and innovating.”
[See more: Sam Hou Fai urged to address business closures and Macao’s ‘complacent’ mindset]
Information relating to the CE’s policy address, including a soft copy of the full speech and a summary, can be found on the government’s webpage.
The policy address for 2026 is scheduled to be delivered in November.
Sam meets the press
Shortly after the policy address, Sam took questions from the media at a specially convened press conference.
When asked about the Welfare Partaking Scheme, he said that this “temporary measure,” which had been introduced in 2008 to fight inflation and the financial crisis, would not be “cancelled,” but would be “optimised.” Sam acknowledged that there were various proposals and views on the scheme, and that the government would continue to look into them.
The CE also bushed off the weak demand for public economic housing, saying that planned public housing projects would go ahead.
In response to a question about Macao’s economy and the challenges it faces, Sam said that global changes are “unpredictable,” but agreed that the effect of the US trade war would be “big” on tourism and gaming-dependent Macao, as it would affect the consumption habits of visitors, especially those hailing from the Chinese mainland.
[See more: Macao government faces revenue shortfall amid slower gaming growth]
With respect to the structural changes he was making to the SAR government, Sam said he hoped to streamline the administration, noting that there were a relatively high number of civil servants, totalling some 35,100.
Sam was also asked about the government’s plan to look into introducing ride-hailing services in Macao. The CE acknowledged the challenges of catching a Radio Taxi, quoting somebody who said that booking one was “like winning the lottery.” But he insisted the issue warranted more research that would take into account the protection of local taxi operators.
