The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, cordially shakes hands with the Second Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Work and Social Economy, Ms Yolanda Díaz Pérez, during a meeting in Madrid, Spain.
The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, met Spain’s Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Labour and Social Economy, Ms Yolanda Díaz Pérez, in Madrid. They exchanged views on expanding cooperation between Macao and Spain in economic and trade matters, tourism, education, and science and technology.
The meeting was held on Thursday (23 April) in the morning local time. Mr Sam arrived in Madrid in the afternoon of Tuesday (21 April), after a four-day visit to Lisbon, Portugal.
During Thursday’s meeting, Mr Sam noted this year marked the 27th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland. As the first to make a visit to Spain in the role of Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), he felt deeply honoured, describing the trip as a significant milestone. He noted that China and Spain have had diplomatic relations for 53 years, and have maintained close diplomatic ties since establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2005. With recent visits to China by King Felipe VI of Spain, and Spain’s Prime Minister Mr Pedro Sánchez, both countries have agreed on an action plan in order further to strengthen bilateral relations in the coming years.
Since its return to the motherland, Macao has steadfastly implemented the principles of “One country, two systems”, “Macao people administering Macao”, and a high degree of autonomy. Its way of life remains unchanged, with executive, legislative, independent judicial and final adjudication powers. The coexistence of different systems and deep integration of Chinese and Western cultures has created a unique, harmonious and inclusive environment. He invited the Second Deputy Prime Minister to visit Macao to experience it firsthand.
Macao and Spain share many similarities in language, legal systems, history and culture, offering strong potential for deeper connections, Mr Sam noted. By bringing to Spain a delegation of entrepreneurs from Macao, Hengqin and other parts of the Chinese mainland, the MSAR Government aimed to enhance economic and trade exchanges. This included strengthening cooperation in the conference, exhibition and tourism industries, and promoting mutual support, complementary advantages and shared development.
In addition, given Spain’s strong scientific and technological capabilities and rich higher-education resources – as well as existing solid academic exchanges with Macao – both sides can jointly advance research and innovation, commercialisation of outcomes, and the development through training of future talent in science and technology.
Ms Díaz welcomed the Chief Executive and the official business delegation to Spain. She acknowledged Macao’s long-standing efforts in building a world centre of tourism and leisure; and hosting numerous international conferences, exhibitions and forums each year, in which Spanish enterprises actively participated. She believed such exchanges would bring the two sides even closer in the future.
Ms Díaz said the Chief Executive’s visit presented an important opportunity further to strengthen high-level official exchanges and people-to-people cooperation between Spain and Macao. Leveraging the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Spain, Macao can better utilise its unique advantages to deepen multilateral collaboration in economic and trade matters, culture, education, and technology. This would inject new momentum into China-Spain friendship and Macao’s high-quality development. She thanked the Chief Executive for the invitation to Macao and expressed an interest in visiting the MSAR in the future, to see its achievements firsthand.
Other officials present at Thursday’s meeting included: the Chinese Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, Mr Yao Jing; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Chan Kak; the Director of the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon, Ms Lúcia Abrantes dos Santos; Director of the Office of Spain’s Second Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Virginia Uzal García; and the Director of the Office of Spain’s Secretary of State for Social Economy, Mr Antxon Arizaleta Sánchez.
