Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac (right), meets with the Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Zhang Xiaoqin, in Fujian during the 2015 Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation Chief Executive Joint Conference.
Developing cooperation on environmental issues will be an important element of a visit to Brazil by the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) authorities including Macao, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, said today. The trip is part of efforts to boost intra PPRD cooperation as well as links with the Portuguese-speaking Countries. The Pan-Pearl River Delta Region covers nine provinces and two regions, and is also known as the “9+2”. It consists of: Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hunan, Jiangxi and Fujian; plus the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR); and the Macao SAR. The PPRD covers an area of nearly 1.92 million square kilometres, with an aggregate population of approximately 400 million. The PPRD cooperation policy provides a platform for these provinces and regions better to foster regional cooperation and strengthen their economies. Mr Leong disclosed the Brazil trip as he led an official delegation for the 2015 Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation Chief Executive Joint Conference in Fujian. The visit to Brazil would include a tour to get a better grasp of green economy issues as they relate to that country. The tour would also highlight measures taken to protect the Amazon basin, including its rivers and rainforest, and cooperation measures between Brazilian states, Mr Leong said. He additionally announced that the Government would set up a representative trade office in Beijing, as well as such offices in Portugal and in Brazil. This would help Macao to enhance its role as a service centre and platform linking the mainland to the Portuguese-speaking Countries. In particular setting up such offices would assist Macao in its bridging role between cities in the PPRD and the Portuguese-speaking Countries, said Mr Leong. The Government would work with the nine provinces and two regions of the Pan-Pearl River Delta in order better to implement the objectives of the nation’s 13th Five-Year Plan. Mr Leong noted that the existing bilateral cooperation between Macao and the other PPRD authorities had over the past 10 years brought great successes for all involved. Mr Leong outlined three major tasks for the coming year, as a way to advance intra PPRD cooperation. These were: to strengthen tourism cooperation between regions and areas in the PPRD; to promote Macao’s bridging role between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries; and to work together in contributing to the “Belt and Road” initiative. He was referring to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, two policies for national development. Mr Leong said factors assisting Macao’s contribution to the “Belt and Road” initiative included the city’s unique culture; its network of returned overseas Chinese; its trade and business environment; and the development of the Guangdong-Macau Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Industrial Park. The country’s “Centre and Platform” policies – designed to turn Macao into a world centre for tourism and leisure and into a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries – would also promote Macao’s special position at a national level, he said. Regarding intra PPRD tourism cooperation, Mr Leong said the Government would step up efforts to develop a multi-destination travel model, so that travellers experience not only Macao but also the many tourism attractions of the “9+2”. Mr Leong added that the Government was encouraging the further development of training for tourism professionals, with the establishment of a training centre affiliated with the World Tourism Organization, known as UNWTO. During his stay in Fujian, Mr Leong also met with the Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Mr Zhang Xiaoqin. Mr Leong said Macao’s bilateral cooperation with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region would be extended to the business travel sector via the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry; to environmental protection; and to Chinese medicine. Mr Zhang said his Region hoped to pursue bilateral ties via Macao’s Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement with the mainland, also known as CEPA. He added that another route for exploring development opportunities was via business links Macao has with firms from countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Members of the Macao delegation visiting Fujian included the President of Administrative Committee of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Cheong Chou Weng; the Consultant of the Chief Executive’s Office, Mr Kou Chin Hung; the Consultants to the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Vong Sin Man and Mr U U Sang; the Consultant to the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms Leong Veng Han; and the Deputy Director of the Macao Economic Services, Mr Tai Kin Ip.
