Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan (5th right), poses for a group photograph with the Deputy Director of the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Gan Zangchun (4th left).
The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan, said the mainland authorities’ experience in coordinating legislation and drafting laws was an important reference point for Macao. The Government would press ahead with optimisation of centralised legislative processes; study of the city’s legal system; and the enhancement of planning for the process of lawmaking, she added. Ms Chan made the comments in Beijing during meetings with the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Feng Wei; the Chairman of the Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Mr Li Fei; and the Deputy Director of the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Gan Zangchun. Topics discussed at the meetings – held on Tuesday (26 April) – included: reforms to public administration; coordination of legislation; and training of professionals regarding the drafting of proposed laws. Mr Feng Wei forwarded a message to the Macao Government from the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, Mr Wang Guangya. In it, Mr Wang recognised the work of the Government, including the highly responsible and able ways in which the Government had performed its management tasks. During the meeting, Mr Feng said administrative reform was an important issue that ought to be approached in a scientific manner. He added his office would provide the necessary support to the Macao Government, in order to ensure the long-term stability of the Special Administrative Region. In another meeting during Ms Chan’s visit, Mr Li Fei said the Macao Government’s efforts in promoting the Basic Law of Macao had produced good results. He said the Macao Government should step up efforts in further promoting the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and the Basic Law, and further encourage understanding – in particular among young people – of the “two systems” under the concept of “One country” and the sense of belonging to the country. In addition, Mr Gan Zangchun shared some thoughts on the challenges and difficulties he had experienced during the course of planning legislative timetables. He stated his office would offer help for training Macao professionals in relation to the drafting of proposed laws, and would strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Macao Government. Macao officials attending the Beijing meetings included: the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Iao Man Leng; the Director of the Legal Affairs Bureau, Mr Liu Dexue; the Head of the Department of Legislative Drafting of the Legal Affairs Bureau, Ms Carmen Maria Chung; and the Acting Head of the Department of Legal System Study and Legislative Coordination of the Legal Affairs Bureau, Mr Cheong Ham.
