The role of Macau as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries under the Hong Kong-Hong Kong Greater Bay Area (GBA) initiative was championed by Chief Executive Chui Sai On at the end of a tour of the nine cities of the GBA.
The Chief Executive of Macau in June visited Zhuhai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhongshan and Jiangmen cities, in the last few days travelled to Zhaoqing, Foshan, Huizhou and Dongguan, and at the end of June met in Beijing with the deputy Prime Minister, Han Zheng with whom he discussed the role of Macau within the GBA.
An official statement said that Chui Sai On, reviewing the visits, highlighted not only the special relations with the Portuguese-speaking countries and the role of a bridge that Macau has but also relations with the Chinese overseas community, which makes it possible to strengthen contacts with the countries of Southeast Asia, as was the case recently when he visited Cambodia and Thailand.
The GBA, which is part of the Chinese “Belt and Road” initiative, will also enable Macau to increase its tourism sector, improve the convention and exhibition industry, accelerate its role as a financial centre and move towards greater industrial diversification.
During the visits to the nine cities Chui Sai On contacted innovative and high tech projects and showed he was convinced that the young people of Macau will have great opportunities to develop their initiatives together with GBA partners.
The Chief Executive also said that in the cities visited he found room for cooperation and complementarity in the management and training of the tourism sector, youth entrepreneurship and traditional Chinese medicine.
With an area of 56,000 square kilometres and a population of 66 million, in 2016 the GBA had a GDP of US$1.4 trillion, and includes the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing and the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
China’s central government is also expected to announce details of the development process for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay in the second half of the year.
