The Shenzhen-Macao Cooperation Conference 2016 is held at the Government Headquarters.
The Government will explore with Shenzhen, further cooperation opportunities in the field of financial services, with reference in particular to Shenzhen’s great experience in developing innovative forms of finance.
The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, said today (Wednesday) that the initiative would help Macao achieve its goal of developing specialised financial services.
Via the mechanism of the Shenzhen-Macao Cooperation Conference, Shenzhen had provided great support to Macao for the latter’s establishment of systems regarding clearance of, respectively, patacas and renminbi, said Mr Leong.
Mr Leong made the remarks to reporters this morning following the Shenzhen-Macao Cooperation Conference 2016 held at the Government Headquarters. The annual Conference for officials from the two cities was chaired, respectively, by the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, and the Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr Xu Qin.
Shenzhen-Macao cooperation had been fruitful, said the Secretary. The two cities would continue to push forward cooperation regarding: the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) sector; financial services; tourism; cultural affairs; and education; as well as innovative projects and entrepreneurship by young people.
Mr Chui and Mr Xu witnessed during the Shenzhen-Macao Cooperation Conference 2016, a signing ceremony for three agreements. They are: a framework agreement on strategic cooperation to promote entrepreneurship among young people from Shenzhen's Qianhai area, and young people from Macao; a memorandum of cooperation between the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Shenzhen Municipality regarding a programme promoting reading for all; and a memorandum of cooperation between the Macao Government Tourism Office of the Macao SAR and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Shenzhen Municipality regarding tourism.
The next work phase of the Shenzhen-Macao Cooperation Conference will be focused on: how to continue the development of the “Dawan area” – a logistics hub in coastal areas covering Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao; and how to make better use of Macao as a commercial and trade cooperationservice platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Macao and Shenzhen will jointly make a greater contribution to 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).
The Conference additionally outlined further collaboration on helping young people from the two cities to establish businesses or develop innovative projects. Conference discussions also suggested further cooperation in cultural affairs.
During the meeting, officials from the two places reviewed the implementation of initiatives formulated last year, covering, respectively: trade services; financial services; cultural affairs; betterment of social wellbeing; and a memorandum – signed last year – on promoting development of the “Dawan area”.
During the media briefing, Mr Xu said that the Shenzhen Government would allocate more resources – and encourage greater involvement by people from across the community – in order to strengthen ties with Macao and advance Shenzhen-Macao cooperation.
Macao officials attending today’s meeting 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; the Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, Mr Fung Sio Weng; the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mr Ung Vai Meng; the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Ms Helena de Senna Fernandes; the Director of the Macao Economic Services, Mr Tai Kin Ip; and Adviser of the Chief Executive’s Office, Mr Kou Chin Hung.
Officials representing the Shenzhen Government in the meeting included: the Secretary General of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Li Tingzhong; the Director-General of Qianhai Management Authority, Mr Du Peng; and the Deputy Secretary General of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Ma Boyin.
The Shenzhen-Macao Cooperation Conference was established in 2006 as a platform for annual meetings between officials from Macao and Shenzhen. It aims to push for mutual development in areas such as culture and creative industries, finance, traditional Chinese medicine, tourism, education and trade liberalisation under the Framework Agreement on Cooperation Between Guangdong and Macao, and the framework of the Mainland and Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).