The Government Spokesperson and Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping, speaks at a gathering for representatives of local media outlets.
The Government will work closely with the media in order to promote further Macao’s roles in the “Belt and Road” initiative, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and in regional cooperation.
The Government Spokesperson and Director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr Chan Chi Ping, also said the Government would dedicate more effort to promoting its policies and news releases via multimedia platforms and channels.
Mr Chan made the remarks today during an event for the media, attended by approximately 60 people. They included representatives of local news outlets, members of media organisations and associations, correspondents of non-local media organisations, the assistant Government Spokesperson, and media coordinators of Government secretariat offices.
The establishment of the government spokesperson system had facilitated, with support from the media, better and closer relations between the Government, the media and the public, he added.
During his speech, Mr Chan shared three routes for optimising the Government’s information output to the media and the public.
The first was to continue to optimise the government spokesperson system, including via enhancement of internal communication within and between public departments, and by strengthening the Government’s response mechanism in relation to media enquiries. Such optimisation also involved coordinating efforts to support Government officials in explaining – via various media platforms – the Government’s policies, he stated.
Second, the Government Information Bureau would work more closely with the media in order to promote news about Macao’s participation in, and contribution to, the development of the “Belt and Road” initiative, particularly via regional cooperation.
Third, the Government would maintain close communication with the media in order to provide greater support for their work.
Mr Chan pledged there would be sufficient support for the media to cover major events scheduled to be held next year, such as the Chief Executive Election, and activities relating to the 20th anniversary of Macao’s handover to the motherland.
Reviewing the work concluded in 2017, Mr Chan said the Government had coordinated with, and offered strong support for, the media in order to enable the dissemination of Government information via diversified channels and in a timely manner. These efforts had been particularly crucial in media coverage of events such as: the visit in May of the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Mr Zhang Dejiang; the landfall of Typhoon Hato in August; and the Legislative Assembly Election in September.
Mr Chan spoke highly of the local media sector’s effort in delivering factually-based reports during Typhoon Hato and in its aftermath. Such effort from the media helped promote a positive spirit in the community and facilitated the city’s recovery, he added.
During the media gathering, Mr Chan also shared his insights regarding the development of new media. He also briefed attendees on the Government Information Bureau’s use of various platforms to promote Government news and policies, and the launch by the Government of fresh electronic platforms for Government publications.
Efforts in new media included the launch in March 2017 of a Facebook page, to share Government news, events and policies. The Bureau had also produced in the past year a greater number of video news clips, photographic essays, infographics and video features.
The Bureau’s WeChat accounts, serving overseas, local and mainland readers, had gained new subscribers. The Bureau also planned to launch, in the second half of this year, a new system named “GovInfo Hub” to replace the existing system by which the media accessed Government information.