The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, and the Mayor of Shanghai, Mr Ying Yong, witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding on thematic year of Shanghai-Macao cooperation and a memorandum of understanding on strengthening MICE cooperation, during a ceremony held at Government Headquarters of Macao.
Macao and Shanghai today signed four new agreements including one covering a thematic year of cooperation, pushing forward ties between the two places to a new and wider level.
The other three new memorandums of understanding signed today cover: MICE (the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry; financial services; and youth exchanges.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, and the Mayor of Shanghai, Mr Ying Yong, witnessed the signing ceremony held at Government Headquarters in Macao.
In his speech delivered at the signing ceremony, Mr Chui said the memorandum of understanding on a thematic year of Macao-Shanghai cooperation was in line with the guiding principle from President Xi Jinping regarding the integration of Macao’s development with overall national development.
Events for the thematic year of Macao-Shanghai cooperation would begin in 2018. They would be held in turn in the two cities, Mr Chui disclosed. Activities would include forums, mutual visits, training sessions and also events in other places in order to promote the two cities.
The remainder of 2018 would focus on boosting cooperation and exchange in the MICE sector, Mr Chui said. That would include cooperation opportunities arising from the 23rd Macao International Trade and Investment Fair, to be held in Macao in October, and from the China International Import Expo, to be held in Shanghai in November.
Following the signing today of the four agreements, the Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute; as well as the Shanghai Municipal Financial Service Office and the Monetary Authority of Macao, would initiate respective exchange mechanisms regarding cooperation in the MICE sector and the financial services sector.
The youth exchange agreement signed today would provide opportunities for high school students from Shanghai to visit Macao and vice versa. That initiative would also include a scheme for young people from the two places to share research on the topic of national development; and an internship programme in Shanghai for Macao’s young people. The agreement also would help boost closer exchanges between youth associations of the two places.
The Chief Executive stated in his address that public departments in Macao and in Shanghai would foster exchanges in other fields such as: tourism and cultural affairs; economic affairs and trade; medical and healthcare matters; and the training of civil servants.
The Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) looked forward to closer exchanges between private-sector enterprises and non-governmental organisations, contributing to a stronger foundation for Macao-Shanghai cooperation, said Mr Chui.
Macao and Shanghai would additionally expand cooperation and exchanges covering various sectors, while reinforcing the achievements of several existing major projects, in a bid further to advance prosperity in the two cities, Mr Chui added.
Mr Ying said in his speech that Shanghai and Macao had already developed a close relationship via frequent exchanges and cooperation, particularly regarding implementation of the Mainland and Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). The two sides should work even more closely, complementing their respective strengths, in order to seize opportunities created by the “Belt and Road” initiative.
Mr Ying added he expected that – as a result of the new agreements – there would be in Shanghai and Macao a greater number of projects concerning cooperation in economic and trade matters, cultural and tourism affairs and people-to-people exchanges.
Officials also attending today’s signing ceremony included: Macao’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Yao Jian; and Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Mr Xu Kunlin.
