The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Cheong U, will visit Taipei and Taichung from 2 to 6 September, at the invitation of Chinese International Tourism Association, to launch a tourism promotion campaign and engage in a series of visits and exchanges with representatives of local tourism and cultural sectors. Acting Government Spokesperson Mr Chan Chi Ping and the Chief-of-Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms Cheung So Mui, met the press today to announce the visit. Ms Cheung said the aim of the visit included enhancing understanding and trust and further perform the function of Macao as a services platform. Mr Chan said with the peaceful development of Cross-Straits Relations and frequent co-operation between the Mainland and Taiwan, the Macao SAR Government had suggested the strengthening of Macao-Taiwan relations and maintained close communications with the related authorities in Taiwan. He said the visit of Mr Cheong represented the benefits of the closer communications. The Macao-Taiwan relations had all along been steadily developed in accordance with Qian Qichen’s Seven Articles, he said. After the establishment of the Macao SAR, the Chief Executive and heads of related organs had actively participated in exchanges with Taiwan at a community level. The Macao SAR Government had already extended the visa-free period of stay for Taiwan residents from 21 to 30 days, and the Macao Foundation had supported important exchanges activities with Taiwan. The Government had also begun liaising with Taiwan authorities on the setting up an institution in Taiwan to better serve Macao students and citizens there, as well as the issue of recognising Macao academic qualifications in Taiwan, Mr Chan said. As for Mr Cheong’s visit, his Chief-of-Office said the delegation will learn more about Taiwan’s health insurance system, Chinese medicine industry, cultural and creative industry and tourism industry in order to enhance exchanges and strengthen co-operation. They will also meet Macao students in Taiwan to learn more about their living and studies so as to provide better services in the future, Ms Cheung said. Currently there are more than 3,000 Macao students in Taiwan. The deputy head of the delegation is the Vice Chairman of the Committee of Cultural Industry, Mr Leong Heng Teng, and the Director-General of Taiwan Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central Government in Macao, Mr Cheng Jinzhong, will be the advisor of the delegation. The delegation will visit National Palace Museum, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei 101, the Red House, SPOT-Taipei Film House, National Museum of Natural Science in Taichung, and Da Jia Jenn Lann Temple in Taichung County during the five-day visit.
