The latest Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference is held at Guangzhou Prefecture, Guangdong Province.
The latest Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference has spelt out fresh strategies to boost complementary benefits for the two places and to enable a joint contribution to significant national policies.
Macao and Guangdong today have signed a total of eight agreements to diversify existing cooperation, and to foster the stability and prosperity of the two places. The new agreements cover topics including food safety, protection of intellectual property, energy efficiency, and environmental protection.
The agreements were endorsed today during the annual Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference, held in Guangzhou Prefecture, Guangdong Province.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, and the Governor of Guangdong, Mr Ma Xingrui, led respective governmental delegations at the meeting, in order to review last year’s achievements regarding cooperation and to explore further opportunities.
Both sides agreed that major national efforts – such as the “Belt and Road” initiative; measures outlined in the country’s 13th Five-Year Plan; and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area – have added innovation and vitality to the drive to expand Guangdong-Macao relations.
In the coming year, Guangdong and Macao have pledged to press ahead with further cooperation via:
1. Taking a major role jointly in the planning and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including setting up a specialised task force group to advance the seven major tasks outlined in the development framework for the Greater Bay Area;
2. Jointly exploring how to make further contribution in 2018 to the “Belt and Road” initiative, based on experience of the two places’ efforts in 2017;
3. Fostering exchanges between young people from Guangdong and Macao, and offering greater policy support for innovation and employment designed to help integrate the role of young people in the nation’s development;
4. Supporting greater Macao involvement in the development of the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, and advancing trade liberalisation between Guangdong and Macao;
5. Strengthening development of Guangdong-Macao cooperation platforms, such as Hengqin New Area; and enhancing Macao’s ties with Guangzhou, Zhongshan, and Jiangmen;
6. Reinforcing Guangdong-Macao cooperation with respect to livelihood issues, including optimisation of facilities at checkpoints and other cross-boundary infrastructure; as well as deepening tourism and cultural links, and promoting cooperation relating to professional and technical issues; and
7. Optimising regulatory systems and the respective roles of think tanks from the two places.
Delivering a keynote speech at the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference, Mr Chui reviewed the existing achievements of past Guangdong-Macao cooperation, ranging from: advancing trade liberalisation under the Framework Agreement on Cooperation Between Guangdong and Macao; taking part in the development of pilot free trade zones; encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship among young people; and promoting closer ties between Macao and Hengqin, Nansha, Zhongshan and Jiangmen.
These efforts have not only shown the strength of a cooperation strategy focused on complementing the respective advantages of Guangdong and Macao, but have also created fresh opportunities for reciprocal benefit, remarked Mr Chui.
Officials attending today’s meeting included: the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR, Mr Leong Vai Tac; and Vice Governor of Guangdong, Mr Lin Shaochun. Also sitting in on the Joint Conference were: the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Huang Liuquan; and Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Yao Jian.
The eight agreements signed today were:
1. Framework Agreement between the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Zhongshan Municipal People’s Government regarding Jointly Building the National Biomedical Science and Technology Innovation Area;
2. Framework Agreement between the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Jiangmen Municipal People’s Government regarding Intensified Cooperation on Green Economy in the Guangdong-Macao (Jiangmen) Cooperation Demonstration Zone;
3. Agreement regarding Jointly Organising the Guangdong-Macao Summer Internship Scheme;
4. Agreement regarding Guangdong-Macao Food Safety Work Exchange and Cooperation;
5. Cooperation Agreement between the Bureau of Statistics of Guangdong Province and the Statistics and Census Service of the Macao Special Administrative Region;
6. Cooperation Agreement between Guangdong and Macao regarding the Energy-efficiency and Environmental Protection Sector;
7. 2017-2018 Cooperation Agreement between Guangdong and Macao on the Protection of Intellectual Property; and
8. Memorandum of Cooperation regarding Fostering Construction and Development of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park of Cooperation between Guangdong and Macao.
