The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, meets with the Director of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, Ms Qiu Yuanping.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today had discussions with mainland authorities regarding ways in which Macao could cooperate with the city’s network of overseas Chinese in the development of the country’s “Belt and Road” initiative; and on development of local sports sector.
Mr Chui had meetings in Beijing with, respectively, the Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, Ms Qiu Yuanping; and the Minister of the General Administration of Sport of China, Mr Gou Zhongwen.
The Chief Executive had been on a four-day visit to Beijing, including attendance at the opening of the 5th Session of the 12th National People's Congress. A Government delegation led by the Chief Executive returned to Macao on Monday evening.
During the meeting with Ms Qiu, Mr Chui said the visit to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office was aimed at expressing the Government’s gratitude for the Office’s long-term support, and to gather more opinion regarding Macao’s participation in and contribution to the “Belt and Road” initiative.
Macao’s involvement in the country’s implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (collectively known as the “Belt and Road” initiative) is part of the city’s strategic development programme.
The Government had been pleased to learn that the Central Government had approved the Macao SAR’s participation in and contribution to the “Belt and Road” initiative. The Government was particularly focused on how to use Macao’s connections to overseas Chinese as a route to boosting people-to-people exchanges, which is one of the major goals of the initiative.
The Government planned to announce this year a plan for Macao’s role regarding the development of the “Belt and Road” initiative. The advice and opinion of Ms Qiu and her office would help the Government better coordinate its efforts with regard to this new task, said Mr Chui.
Ms Qiu said her office would form closer ties with the SAR Government in relation to support for Macao in order that the city could participate in and contribute to the development to the “Belt and Road” initiative.
In his meeting with Mr Gou of the General Administration of Sport of China, the Chief Executive discussed further cooperation in order to support the development of Macao’s competitive sports and the promotion in the city of the concept “sport for all”.
The support of the General Administration of Sport of China – for tasks including training a greater number of local athletes, monitoring levels of physical activity in the community and supporting Macao’s participation in a greater number of international sporting events – was central to sport development in Macao.
As a member of the Olympic Council of Asia, Macao had spared no effort in promoting the development of local sport teams. The Government fully understood the constraints that applied regarding participation in the Olympic Games, as only “independent states” have been recognised by the International Olympic Committee since revisions made in 1996 to the Olympic Charter.
With the support of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Olympic Committee, Macao had successfully held the 2005 East Asian Games, the 2006 Lusophony Games and the 2007 Asian Indoor Games.
Macao would actively take part in events organised by the Olympic Council of Asia and promote development of competitive sport and “sport for all” in Macao, said Mr Chui.
Mr Gou said his Administration would continue support the SAR Government in promoting sport development in Macao.
While in Beijing, Mr Chui also held a meeting on Saturday (4 March) with the Minister of Education, Mr Chen Baosheng, to exchange views on cooperation on education between the mainland and Macao.
The Chief Executive expressed his gratitude for the support of the Ministry, in particular its provision of further training for teachers and its help in enabling a greater number of Macao young people to receive an education in mainland universities. Such efforts were a source of encouragement for Macao’s education sector, added Mr Chui.
Mr Chen said he believed cooperation between the Ministry and the Macao SAR would grow in strength, and provided ongoing, solid cooperation in several fields.
Macao officials also attending Mr Chui’s meetings with mainland authorities 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.
