Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng, meets with the Vice Minister of Culture, Mr Ding Wei.
The Government would take advantages of the “Belt and Road” to further promote complementary co-operations in culture and tourism with the mainland, said the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng. Speaking to the Vice Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, Mr Li Shihong, in Beijing on 21 April, Mr Tam said the Government would give full play on the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (“Belt and Road”), the framework laid down by President Xi Jinping, to further integrate into the global economy. In tourism, the Government put forward earlier optimisation measure on the facilitated individual travel scheme, with the aim to provide a better environment to visitors and maintain the people’s living quality. Mr Li briefed Mr Tam on the country’s tourism measures “515 Strategy”, namely to boost tourism development that focuses on “civilization, orderliness, security, convenience and prosperity”, which would bring more development opportunities to Macao. In today’s meeting with the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Mr Zhou Bo, Mr Tam expressed his appreciation for the Office’s long-term support on Macao’s social issues and the people’s livelihood. Mr Zhou spoke highly of the government’s people-oriented policies, saying there was more room for co-operation besides economic issues, such as education, culture, tourism, sports and social welfare. During the visit to the capital beginning 21 April, the delegation led by Mr Tam also visited the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the State General Administration of Sports, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the National Health and Family Planning Commission. In meeting the Vice Minister of Culture, Mr Ding Wei, Mr Tam introduced the Government’s plan on furthering co-operation with the mainland in cultural exchanges, creative industry, personnel training, and the promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritages. Mr Ding said he foresaw more participation of Macao in the country’s annual cultural promotion campaign across the world. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Historic Centre of Macao, which was accredited by the United Nations of Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2005, Mr Tam said the Government would step up the promotion on cultural heritage, fortifying more co-ordination from industries such as culture, education and tourism. The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Health and Family Planning Commission had rendered their full support to the city’s medical development, especially the Islands District Medical Complex and a joint project on traditional Chinese medicine with the World Health Organization. On the following day, representatives of Ministry of Education and the State General Administration of Sports and Mr Tam explored closer co-operation in personnel training and the establishment of an information exchange mechanism. Members of the delegation included Director of Macau Government Tourist Office, Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; the President of Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mr Ung Vai Meng; and the Director of Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, Ms Leong Lai.