The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, briefs reporters in Beijing on his duty visit.
President Xi Jinping today expressed his confidence in Macao’s ability to seize fresh opportunities arising from the country’s overall development, in order to achieve further success based on the city’s strong social and economic position.
That was in order for Macao to usher in a new era of progress and prosperity, as the Special Administrative Region (SAR) readies to mark its 20th anniversary next year.
Mr Chui was speaking to reporters in Beijing after he was today received by, respectively, President Xi and the Premier of the State Council, Mr Li Keqiang. Both meetings were held at Zhongnanhai in Beijing.
The Chief Executive is on a four-day visit to the capital. While in the capital, Mr Chui also met respectively with Vice Premier of the State Council Mr Han Zheng; and the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Zhang Xiaoming.
Summarising his duty visit, Mr Chui said the Central Government had fully affirmed the SAR Government’s work over the past 12 months, noting that the SAR Government’s efforts towards promoting development were also widely recognised by the Macao community.
In a meeting held this afternoon with Mr Chui, President Xi spoke highly of the SAR Government’s diligent efforts in a wide range of areas. They comprised: optimisation of mechanisms to safeguard national security; active involvement in promoting the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and in making further contributions to the development of the “Belt and Road” initiative; and strengthening the city’s abilities and capacity in disaster prevention and mitigation.
According to Mr Chui, President Xi praised Macao’s role in the country’s reform and opening up process over the past 40 years, stressing that the SAR Government should continue to build on Macao’s unique strengths and advantages in order for the city to play a more active role in the reform and opening up process of the country.
In a separate meeting with Mr Chui held this morning, Premier Li commended the SAR Government’s unremitting effort over the past 12 months in the pursuit for social progress in Macao, while maintaining a low unemployment rate in the city and achieving economic growth.
Premier Li also called on the SAR Government to steer the Macao community to actively engage in the city’s economic diversification process and in consolidating the integration of Macao’s own development with the country’s overall development.
During the meetings with state leaders, the Chief Executive presented his report regarding Macao’s situation, including the SAR Government’s efforts to maintain stable social and economic progress.
Mr Chui said the SAR Government would dedicate its utmost efforts to propel Macao’s economic diversification effort while enhancing the livelihoods of Macao people, in addition to integrate the city’s development with the country’s overall development in order to guarantee Macao’s sustainable progress.
The Chief Executive added that the state leaders paid close attention to the social and professional development of young people in Macao. The SAR Government would step up its efforts to advance further work related to youth affairs. The SAR Government had already taken several steps to achieve such goal, including strengthening coordination among the five policy secretaries and launching the “Gathering of Thousand Talents” programme.
When asked by reporters about the election process for the next Chief Executive, Mr Chui said he had not discussed those matters in his meetings with state leaders.
As outgoing Chief Executive, Mr Chui said he would strive to ensure the election process for selecting his successor ran smoothly. In addition, he would also strive to ensure a smooth transition to the next Government.
The Chief Executive is scheduled to conclude tomorrow his four-day duty visit to Beijing.