National strategies bring complementary opportunities in Guangdong-Macao co-operation

China’s development strategies would bring further complementary opportunities to Guangdong and Macao, Chief Executive Mr Chui Sai On said today at the 2015 Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Joint Conference held in Jiangmen. Mr Chui said national initiatives, such as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (“One Belt and One Road”), would further enhance Macao’s roles as a world centre of tourism and leisure, and as a commercial and trade co-operation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. At the annual conference with the leaders of Guangdong province in Jiangmen, Mr Chui outlined the prospects for the coming years based on the achievements of the past. There would be more financial contributions to joint Guangdong-Macao large-scale projects and some would start to operate in the near future, he said, adding that this is a way to better invest Macao’s reserves and would benefit people in the two places. The Government would press ahead with major projects in regional co-operation in the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, in its sub-areas such as Hengqin and Nansha. Issues such as broader co-operation at immigration checkpoints, healthcare, food safety, culture, education, meteorology and environmental protection were also proposed. In the meeting, the two governments endorsed eight agreements on bilateral co-operation in infrastructure, construction of Cuiheng New District, social welfare, meteorology, identification of endangered species, pleasure craft travel, financial co-operation and cross-boundary electronic commerce. Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Zhou Bo, and Deputy Chief of Economic Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macao, Mr Chen Xiang, were also present in the meeting. Mr Chui and Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Zhu Xiaodan, delivered keynote speeches at the meeting. Before the meeting in Jiangmen, Mr Chui met Secretary of the Guangdong CPC Provincial Committee, Mr Hu Chunhua and Mr Zhu Xiaodan in a high-level meeting in Guangzhou. The medium- and long-term goals set in the Framework Agreement on Co-operation between Guangdong and Macao had reached its expected results, and he foresaw a closer partnership between the two parties, Mr Chui said. The Conference was first established in 2003, with six priority projects for co-operation between the two regions, with emphasis on the service sector, the Zhuhai-Macao Cross-border Industrial Zone, and research on the joint development of Hengqin. Officials who also attended the meeting included Secretary for Economy and Finance Mr Leong Vai Tac; Secretary for Transport and Public Works Mr Raimundo do Rosário; Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office Ms O Lam; Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance Ms Lok Kit Sim; Chief of Office of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works Ms Cheong Chui Ling; Director of the Government Information Bureau Mr Chan Chi Ping; Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office Mr Fung Sio Weng; Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and Secretary-general of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee Mr Lin Musheng; and Vice Governor of Guangdong Province Ms Chao Yufang.