The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, leads the Government delegation in the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference 2021, which is held online.
Guangdong and Macao will continue to bolster effort in order to realise national strategies, while stepping up pragmatic cooperation for promoting people’s well-being.
The latest Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference was held today via video link. The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, and the Governor of Guangdong, Mr Ma Xingrui, headed respective delegations taking part in it.
The theme of today’s Joint Conference was Hengqin as a pivot for intensifying Guangdong-Macao collaboration and supporting Macao’s economic diversification.
The Macao delegation took part in the online meeting fromthe premises of the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex, in Macao.
Guangdong and Macao gave a review on bilateral ties, saying cooperation projects had been effective, with progress made in a number of sectors.
Today’s Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference confirmed four major areas for the next phase of collaboration. The first would be a focus on the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone planned for Hengqin and other major cooperation zones, stepping up legislation- and policy-coordination while accelerating establishment of specific projects.
The second direction for Guangdong-Macao cooperation was continuously to foster cooperation in a number of industries, in order to support Macao’s economic diversification. This included in the fields of science and research; high-end manufacturing; traditional Chinese medicine; modern financial services; the high- and new-technology sectors; cultural and tourism; and the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) industry.
The third focus for Guangdong-Macao cooperation was to intensify connections between Guangdong and Macao, seeking to provide further convenience for Macao residents living and working in Guangdong.
The fourth direction outlined during today’s Joint Conference was to strengthen cooperation in terms of propelling economic development and optimising people’s livelihoods. In particular, the two sides would devote further effort in epidemic control and prevention; support Macao young people to either work or start a business in Guangdong; and enhance exchange and collaboration regarding education, food safety, and ecological protection.
In his speech delivered at the Joint Conference, the Chief Executive said Guangdong and Macao had maintained close ties amid the pandemic, in order to advance the epidemic-control and prevention effort, creating conditions enabling normal movement of people between Guangdong and Macao.
Guangzhou and Shenzhen had each recorded one COVID-19 case on Monday (14 June), indicating the outbreak in Guangdong was close to a controllable level, i.e., with zero local infection, Mr Ho noted. Health authorities and immigration departments had been holding videoconference sessions to report latest developments in relation to epidemic conditions, and to discuss any updates on boundary-crossing measures, in order to control the epidemic from spreading further, Mr Ho added.
The Chief Executive thanked Guangdong for always supporting Macao’s economic and social development, ensuring a stable supply to Macao of energy supplies and resources, live produce and daily necessities.
Mr Ho also said that 2021 marked the first year of the country’s 14th Five-year Plan, as well as a significant period for Macao to integrate further into national development. Based on achievements consolidated from past cooperation, Guangdong and Macao would devote further effort in high-quality development in relation to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area initiative; advancing development for Hengqin; facilitating Macao’s economic diversification effort; and enhancing coordinated effort in tackling the epidemic, while boosting post-pandemic economic recovery, Mr Ho said.
Governor Ma said during the meeting that Guangdong and Macao would work closely in order to seize major opportunities presented by the development of the Greater Bay Area. The two places would also pragmatically advance cooperation in relation to: Hengqin development; the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park of Cooperation between Guangdong and Macao; Hengqin Macao Youth Business Valley; and the “Macao New Neighborhood, Hengqin” project.
Via the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference, the two sides had opportunities for extensive exchange and practical cooperation, helping to implement precisely requirements of the Central Government, and promoting fruitful achievements between Guangdong and Macao. Such effort would also be conducive to safeguard, and scale new heights regarding, the steady implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle with Macao characteristics, said Mr Ma.
During the Joint Conference, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Lei Wai Nong; and Vice Governor of Guangdong, Mr Zhang Xin, each gave a briefing on the latest progress of the projects initiated in the past year.
At today’s meeting, Guangdong and Macao signed a total of six agreements, concerning respectively: exchange and cooperation on food safety issues; standards of quality and recognition regarding inspection work; accounting standards for Macao enterprises established in Guangdong; cooperation in tourism; cooperation in holding job fairs and internships for university students in the Greater Bay Area; and cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine.
Among other Macao officials taking part in the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference were: the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Mr Cheong Weng Chon; the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms Ao Ieong U; and the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Hoi Lai Fong.
