The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, briefs reporters in Beijing regarding his four-day duty visit.
The Central Government has affirmed the SAR Government’s work and would continuously pledge its full support to Macao for further economic development and enhancement of the livelihoods of Macao’s people, said today the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On.
Mr Chui was speaking to reporters in Beijing this afternoon as he concluded his annual duty visit after he was today received by the President Xi Jinping and the Premier of the State Council, Li Keqiang. During the meetings with the state leaders, the Chief Executive presented his report regarding Macao’s situation and its development during the past 12 months and also outlined the Government’s policies for 2017.
During his four-day visit, Mr Chui additionally had meetings with, respectively, the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Wang Guangya; and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Mr Zhang Dejiang.
Mr Chui said the state leaders had affirmed the direction of the Government’s efforts in implementing several policies over the past year. They included: the effort to develop Macao’s strategic positioning as a world centre of tourism and leisure, and a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and the Portuguese speaking countries (collectively known as “Centre and Platform” policies); and to ensure the work done under the city’s Five-Year Development Plan complemented the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan.
Mr Chui said that under a plan approved by the Central Government, Macao is to have more involvement in the development of the country’s Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (collectively known as the “Belt and Road” initiative),
Macao would press ahead in cooperating – in areas such as tourism, financial services and the enhancement of social wellbeing – with more than 60 countries and regions covered in the “Belt and Road” initiative.
The Government would set up a work committee, supervised by the Chief Executive’s Office, to coordinate efforts regarding how to press ahead with specific forms of such cooperation, in particular with mainland provinces close to Macao, such as Guangdong and Fujian.
The “Belt and Road” initiative would result in a great number of development opportunities for Macao, Mr Chui said.
In addition, Mr Chui also commented on Macao’s economic prospects for 2017. The Government believed the city’s economy would expand next year, he said. Mr Chui noted the Government had been able to maintain balanced finances and budget surpluses during the economic adjustment period in 2015 and 2016. In 2015, Macao’s budget surplus had been 25.2 billion patacas; the Government was confident there would be also a surplus in 2016, without wishing to commit at this stage to a specific figure.
Mr Chui stressed public expenditure on long-term policy mechanisms relating to social wellbeing and to welfare measures would not be negatively affected by economic adjustment.
Regarding the development of surrounding waters that are to be administered by Macao, Mr Chui said the Government was taking three steps to prepare gradually for economic development of the 85 square kilometres concerned. The measures covered: preparation of legislation; the strengthening of management processes; and the conduct of research relating to the local maritime economy and to the overall development of Macao.
Regarding an idea expressed by some people – that allowing the importation of non-resident workers for vehicle driver positions would be positive for the Macao economy – Mr Chui said the Government needed to study the matter in depth, in order to ensure a scientific approach to decisions on that subject.
Officials accompanying the Chief Executive on his duty visit included: the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms O Lam; the Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping; and the Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Mr Fung Sio Weng.