Local academic Ieong Tou Hong said Tuesday that under the 2011 Macau-Guangdong Framework Co-operation Agreement, Macau was aiming to become part of a “global city” conurbation.
Ieong, who heads the Macau Economic Advancement Association explained that there are contributing factors to making a city or metropolitan area an internationally recognised world city such as whether or not the city has a high quality service industry, influential cultural industry, well structured transportation networks and the global influence the city exerts, according to The Macau Post Daily today.
However, since Macau has only limited land and other resources, Ieong believes that Macau has to further integrate with surrounding cities and towns in the Pearl River Delta region in order for it to be categorised as a global city.
Ieong also said that Macau could do this by continuing to develop into a world centre of tourism and leisure, adding that it was also possible to co-operate with Guangdong to develop the coastal area west of the city, as it has beautiful coastlines that it can be developed into resorts to attract overseas tourists.
He also said that the Macau-Guangdong co-operation deal that was signed last year aims to help Macau’s economy to diversify, as the Macau and Guangdong governments are now working together to develop Zhuhai’s Hengqin Island.
Furthermore, the Macau government has also signed an agreement with the Guangzhou municipal government to develop that city’s Nansha district. Ieong believes that these are the right steps for Macau’s integration with its surrounding regions for further economic development.(macaunews)
