The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, and the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao, Mr Zheng Xincong, pose for a group photo with the Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Mr Zhou Zuyi, and the Governor of Fujian Province, Mr Zhao Long, during the 4th Macao-Fujian Cooperation Conference in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province.
(Macao – 26 October 2023) The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, the Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Mr Zhou Zuyi, and the Governor of Fujian Province, Mr Zhao Long – as well as their respective delegations – attended the 4th Fujian-Macao Cooperation Conference on Wednesday (25 October) in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. Also present at the conference was the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), Mr Zheng Xincong.
During the conference, both sides agreed that they would: continue to make good use of the connectivity advantages offered by the country's "dual circulation" strategy; join hands in advancing the "Belt and Road" initiative; seize the opportunities available in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; and deepen cooperation in various other fields.
Mr Ho said in a speech that since the establishment of the Fujian-Macao cooperation mechanism, the two sides had continued to expand cooperation in the fields of economics and trade, exhibitions, culture, tourism, as well as innovation and technology, and had achieved remarkable results. He also said that the MSAR Government would implement the policies and utilise the measures provided by the Central Government; and make better use of Macao’s advantages in terms of its support from the motherland and Macao’s ability to connect the world. Macao would also develop the city’s positioning as "One centre, one platform, one base". Macao would additionally actively integrate into the joint construction of the Belt and Road initiative; ensure the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area; accelerate the construction of the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; and continuously promote the successful practise of, and ensure fresh achievements for, the "One country, two systems" principle in Macao.
Macao was accelerating the development of four nascent industries, namely: the “Big Health” industry; modern financial services; high and new technology; and convention and exhibition, sports, and the commercial and trade industries. Macao and Fujian would promote and jointly expand all-round cooperation in various fields. Macao would work with Fujian to expand market opportunities for Portuguese-speaking countries. So far, exchanges and cooperation in multiple fields had achieved fruitful results. Mr Ho expressed his belief that with the joint efforts made, and the solid foundation laid, for cooperation between Fujian and Macao, such cooperation would make positive contributions to promoting Chinese-style modernisation and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Secretary Zhou of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, said in his speech that Fujian and Macao have profound historical connections. CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping attached great importance to promoting exchanges and cooperation between Fujian and Macao, which he had developed during his own work in Fujian. In recent years, economic and trade exchanges had become closer, scientific and educational cooperation had continued to deepen, and cultural exchanges had become rich and colourful. Currently, Fujian was accelerating the construction of a cross-Strait integrated development demonstration zone, and was intensively promoting the high-quality development of the “Maritime Silk Road” core area.
As the development of the Greater Bay Area deepened, Fujian and Macao had unprecedented opportunities for cooperation. Through this round of the Cooperation Conference, a new starting point was being created in order to: seize the business opportunities of the Belt and Road initiative; further improve the cooperation mechanism between Fujian and Macao; better integrate into the overall development of the country; and to enable cooperation between Fujian and Macao to reach new heights of excellence.
It was necessary to: highlight collaborative innovation; work together to promote the construction of scientific and technological innovation platforms; and promote industrial cooperation in the fields of traditional Chinese medicine, “Big Health’, and the digital economy. Fujian and Macao would work together to promote “Silk Road” cooperation, jointly expand the market opportunities of Portuguese-speaking countries, and expand import and export trade. Fujian and Macao would also promote exchanges between the two sides; learn from each other; work together to promote cooperation in culture, education, tourism and other fields; and jointly promote people-to-people exchanges and spiritual harmony.
Director Zheng of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the MSAR, warmly welcomed the convening of the 4th Fujian-Macao Cooperation Conference. He said that cooperation between Fujian and Macao was a major goal that General Secretary Xi had personally planned and promoted when he was working in Fujian.
Over the past 20 years, cooperation between Fujian and Macao had been fruitful, greatly promoting the complementary advantages of the two, and the win-win opportunities available to them. Fujian and Macao each had particular advantages and characteristics, and should shoulder important missions, given the connections between people in the two places. Deepening cooperation between Fujian and Macao had unlimited prospects, was of great significance, and would be widely welcomed.
The Liaison Office would conscientiously implement the Central Government's decisions and arrangements, enhance cooperation between Fujian and Macao, and help the two sides make greater contributions to the construction of a strong country, and to national rejuvenation.
The progress of relevant work since the 3rd Fujian-Macao Cooperation Conference was reported at the 4th Fujian-Macao Cooperation Conference on Wednesday. The key areas for promotion under the fourth edition were also announced. Secretary Zhou; the Chief Executive Mr Ho; Director Zheng; and Governor Zhao acted as witnesses, as member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Executive Vice Governor of Fujian Province, Ms Guo Ningning; along with the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Lei Wai Nong, signed the 4th “Memorandum on Deepening Cooperation between Fujian and Macao",on behalf of the two sides.
The leading officials then witnessed the signing of an accord between the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute and the Fujian Provincial Department of Commerce, called the “Agreement on Deepening Economic and Trade Cooperation between Fujian and Macao in the Joint Construction of the ‘Belt and Road’”. The leading officials also witnessed the signing between the Health Bureau of the MSAR and the Fujian Provincial Health Commission, of a “Memorandum of Understanding on Medical and Health Exchange and Cooperation between Fujian and Macao”. In addition, the leading officials also witnessed the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the MSAR and the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism signing an "Agreement on Expanding Cultural Exchange and Cooperation between Fujian and Macao"; and the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism signing an "Agreement on Expanding Tourism Cooperation between Fujian and Macao".
After the meeting, Mr Ho and Director Zheng, accompanied by leading officials of Fujian Province, and a delegation of Macao entrepreneurs, visited respectively: the Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture Museum and the Research Base of TCM Syndrome at the Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; the Bin Hai New Area Planning Exhibition Hall; and the Fujian Big Data Exchange.
