The five parallel sessions of the “Youth Forum on Jointly Building the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” were held simultaneously this afternoon (13 October), with topics related to legal systems of the Greater Bay Area; innovation, entrepreneurship and employment; social security; cultural exchanges and cooperation; and transport connectivity.
The five secretaries of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) together with guests attended these sessions, to exchange views with youth representatives from the Greater Bay Area, and discussed the opportunities and challenges of multi-disciplinary collaboration and exchanges arising from the development of Greater Bay Area.
The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan; the Vice Mayor of Fushan, Mr Liu Junwen; and the Vice Mayor of Huizhou, Mr Yu Jinfu, were invited to deliver speeches during the session “Challenges and Opportunities in Legal Development in the Greater Bay Area".
Secretary Chan said that “One country, two systems” is the advantage of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as compared to other bay areas. With different social and legal systems, characteristics and advantages, it is important for the three places to cooperate with and complement each other, facilitating internationalisation of the Greater Bay Area.
She hoped that interactions and exchanges could enhance young people’s knowledge of the legal systems of the Greater Bay Area, so that they can be well equipped to seize the opportunities arising from regional integration, and empower themselves to promote development of the Greater Bay Area.
With the President of Association of Legal Promotion of Macao, Mr Lei Wun Kong, as facilitator, guests speaking at the session “Challenges and Opportunities in Legal Development in the Greater Bay Area" also included Professor Guo Tianwu of the School of Law and the Institute of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Development Studies of the Sun Yat-sen University; Mr Wang Qianhua, Deputy Director of the Research Center of Hong Kong and Macao Basic Law, Shenzhen University; Professor Zhao Yun, Head of the Department of Law, the University of Hong Kong; and Professor Tong Io Cheng, Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Macau.
Focusing on the economy, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac; the Vice Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr Wang Lixin; and the Deputy Secretary of the Zhongshan Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Mr Chen Wenfeng, spoke at the session "Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Employment in the Greater Bay Area".
According to Secretary Leong, the Greater Bay Area brings opportunities and challenges. He encouraged young people to maintain self-confidence and ability for employment and developing businesses, broaden their international perspective, keep up-to-date regarding development of the nation, and be well equipped with innovative thinking and skills, to become all-round talented people with specialities and areas of expertise.
Secretary Leong added that the Government will help young people to seize opportunities in the Greater Bay Area, by providing training and support to enhance their abilities and confidence for engagement in development of Macao and other Greater Bay Area cities, where more open and inclusive environments for development will be available for young people.
With the Chairman of the Board of the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre, Mr Chui Sai Peng, as facilitator, guests speaking at the session "Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Employment in the Greater Bay Area" also included Mr Chan Cheong, founder of a local cultural investment company; Mr Fu Tang Long, executive director of a marketing consultancy management company in Guangzhou; Mr Lam Ka Cheong, a Macao resident engaged in a software development business in Shenzhen; Mr Lau Hok Leong, Asia-Pacific general sales manager of an automobile company; and Mr Vincent Chow, executive director of a local information technology company.
Speaking at the session "Youth, Security and Responsibility - Cooperation and Integration in the Greater Bay Area", the Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak said that integrated development of the Greater Bay Area will not only bring about new economic opportunities but also new challenges to social security. The police forces of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao therefore commenced Greater Bay Area police collaboration this September.
From now on, the police collaboration mechanism will be continually reformed, and exchanges and coordination will be enhanced, to realise more effective synergy and governance, thus creating a safer environment for development of the Greater Bay Area, and a better place to live and work for young people who seek career opportunities, Mr Wong said.
Secretary Wong said that cooperation between community organisations and residents is important for maintaining overall security of the Greater Bay Area. In this regard, young people of Macao and of the Greater Bay Area should be concerned about issues of security and governance. They should bear their responsibility and render support in terms of awareness and action.
Mr Luo Zhaoqun, Chairman of CPC Dongguan Municipal Committee, also delivered a speech at the session "Youth, Security and Responsibility - Cooperation and Integration in the Greater Bay Area", which was facilitated by the Deputy Commissioner of the Public Security Police of Macao, Ms Lao Wan Seong. Other speakers included Mr Li Xin, Secretary of the Youth League Committee of Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department; Mr Fan Lin, Deputy Chief of the Organisational Section, General Division of Political Department, Public Security Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality; Ms Iu Hoi Kuan, Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of community relations, Police Public Relations Branch, Hong Kong Police Force; and Mrs Chiu Chu Wai Man, Principal Criminal Investigator, Macao Judicial Police.
The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng; the Director of the Standing Committee of Guangzhou Municipal People’s Congress, Mr Chen Jianhua; and the Chairman of CPC Zhaoqing Municipal Committee, Mr Sun De, attended and delivered speeches at the session "Promoting Youth Cultural Exchange and Cooperation in the Greater Bay Area".
Secretary Tam said that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is rich in cultural heritage, with unlimited vitality and potential. In the Greater Bay Area, one can witness the historical relics and experience the convergence, collision, adaptation and coexistence of oriental and western cultures. Nourished by the wealth of culture, the people residing here will become the driving force for regional integration and development.
Secretary Tam stressed that the MSAR Government is committed to promoting youth exchanges in the Greater Bay Area, especially mutual learning concerning culture and creativity. It is hoped that all sectors of society will cooperate to give rise to more opportunities for young people to leverage their talents, realise their aspirations, and broaden their horizons, enabling them to grow up as talented people with a sense of patriotism and social responsibility.
With Associate Professor Loi Hoi Ngan, Social, Economic and Public Policy Research Centre of the Macao Polytechnic Institute, as the facilitator, guest speakers at the session "Promoting Youth Cultural Exchange and Cooperation in the Greater Bay Area" included Ms Zhong Zheping, Scholar of Lingnan Culture and writer at the Guangzhou Literature and Artwork Research Institute; Mr Lio Mio-mei, experienced media professional and writer; Dr Lam Fat Iam, Director of the Centre of Sino-Western Cultural Studies of Macao Polytechnic Institute; and Mr Liu Wei, Deputy Director of Department of Research on Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and International Affairs, Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences and Secretary-general of Institute of Studies for the Greater Bay Area (Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao).
The session focusing on transport and public work, titled "Macao's Land and Sea Transport Links with the Greater Bay Area", featured speeches by the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Mr Raimundo Arrais do Rosário; the Mayor of Zhuhai, Mr Yao Yisheng; and the Mayor of Jiangmen, Mr Liu Yi.
To integrate Macao further with other Greater Bay Area cities, Secretary Rosário pledged the MSAR Government would dedicate full effort in pressing ahead with infrastructure connectivity regarding a one-hour commuting radius. The efforts mentioned by Mr Rosário included: building a new Guangdong-Macao crossing checkpoint; and exploring possibility of accessing to railway networks on the mainland.
"Macao's Land and Sea Transport Links with the Greater Bay Area" was co-facilitated by the Director of Transport Bureau, Mr Lam Hin San; and the Director of the Maritime and Water Affairs Bureau, Ms Wong Soi Man, with guest speakers including Mr Zhu Yongling, Director of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority; Mr Zhang Daowu, Deputy General Manager of Guangdong Province Navigation Holdings Company Limited; and Mr David Yam, General Manager – Business Development of MTR Corporation Limited.