President Xi Jinping praised Macau’s role in the nation’s reform and opening up process over the past 40 years, while outlining four hopes for Macau to contribute further to national development, Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On told reporters in Beijing, according to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS).
The GCS statement released on Monday pointed out that Xi delivered an important speech while hosting Hong Kong and Macau delegations together at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to mark the 40th anniversary of the country’s reform and opening up process.
Xi’s four hopes
During the meeting, according to the statement, President Xi detailed four hopes to further integrate the development of Hong Kong and Macau with the overall national development, in order to jointly usher in a new era of progress and prosperity.
Chui, his Hong Kong counterpart Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and several other members of the two delegations delivered speeches during the meeting.
Chui’s predecessor, Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Legislative Assembly President Ho Iat Seng, Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak and Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac also attended the meeting.
Vice Premier Han Zheng was also present.
Chui met reporters in Beijing yesterday afternoon for a wrap-up of his three-day working visit.
Macau has been unremitting in serving the nation’s development needs, while delivering on its unique strengths, Chui said, adding that these principles would continue to guide Macau’s efforts to further contribute to the country’s reform and opening-up process.
According to the statement, Chui shared with reporters the four hopes outlined for Macau and Hong Kong by Xi during yesterday’s meeting. The statement underlined that Chui focused on the parts of Xi’s message related to Macau.
First, Macau should play a more active role in the reform and opening-up process of the country. Chui quoted Xi as saying he hoped that Macau – via further contributions relating to financial capital, technology and human resources – would deepen its role and expand its functions in the country’s new round of policies to open up further the mainland’s economy.
Second, Macau should diligently integrate its development with the country’s overall progress, envisaged as a responsibility of the special administrative region under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. Chui said that the president called for further efforts to draft innovative development mechanisms for Macau and to give full play to the city’s unique advantages, in order to create new impetus for economic growth.
Third, Macau should make greater contributions to the country’s governance system. Chui said that Xi advised Macau to keep optimising the implementation of the country’s Constitution and of the Macau Basic Law, under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. Meanwhile, Macau should also continue to enhance the quality of its administration.
Fourth, Macau should facilitate people-to-people exchanges at an international level. Chui said that Xi pointed out that Macau has unique characteristics as an international city, which provide favourable conditions to promote Chinese culture, apart from Macau’s example as a role model in the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle.
Chui highlighted the significance of Macau’s bridging roles, in terms of the city’s close ties with the Portuguese-speaking countries and of its cooperation with several provinces and regions on the mainland.
Looking forward, the local government would spare no effort in speeding up the implementation of Macau’s strategic goals, namely of being a world centre of tourism and leisure and a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, Chui said.
The chief executive led a delegation to Beijing from Saturday until yesterday, to attend a number of activities organised by various sectors from Hong Kong and Macau. The activities aimed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the country’s reform and opening up.
While in the capital, the delegation attended a seminar to review the participation of Hong Kong and Macau in the country’s reform and opening-up process over the past 40 years. The seminar also covered the two special administrative regions’ ongoing integration with national development, the statement pointed out.
In the seminar, Chui said that Macau was both an active participant in, and a beneficiary of, the country’s opening-up process. He added that Macau would continue to seize the unprecedented opportunities created by major national development strategies.
The Macao delegation also visited the Palace Museum in Beijing.
The Macau delegation comprised about 50 members, including principal officials of the government, and sector representatives that have contributed to the progress of the country’s reform and to Macau’s development, the statement said.
