The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Zheng Xiaosong, and the Governor of Guizhou Province, Ms Chen Yiqin, witness the signing of agreements covering: development on external trade and promotion of MICE sector cooperation, a scholarship scheme for disadvantaged students from Congjiang County to study in Macao higher education institutes, and reconstruction of an integrated teaching building in a Congjiang County school, during a ceremony held in Congjiang County, Guizhou Province.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today said Macao’s support for Guizhou Province in relieving the effects of poverty there would complement efforts at mutual regional development envisaged under the Pan-Pearl River Delta region initiative.
The key poverty alleviation projects Macao is involved in regarding Guizhou concern: education; healthcare; tourism; cultural affairs; economic development; and talent development.
Mr Chui delivered a speech during a seminar about poverty alleviation held in Congjiang County, Guizhou Province. The Chief Executive is on a three-day visit to the Province – co-organised by the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) – to discuss poverty alleviation projects.
The Central Government has previously approved the Macao SAR’s participation in the country’s overall effort on poverty relief. The State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development suggested Congjiang County in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, as a focus for Macao’s assistance.
Such suggestion took into consideration the challenges of reducing poverty in Congjiang – an area that has one of the most significant poverty rates in the country – and the role such effort could play in complementing Macao’s overall development, said Mr Chui.
A total of nine agreements collectively involving Macao, the Liaison Office, and the People’s Government of Guizhou Province were today signed in Congjiang County. Four related specifically to support for Guizhou from the SAR Government.
The Chief Executive stressed the SAR Government would step up its effort to encourage further participation from the Macao community, regarding poverty reduction in Guizhou.
According to the first of the four government-to-government agreements, which relates to education matters, the Macao SAR Government is to allocate an amount not exceeding 30 million renminbi to support rebuilding of a primary school campus in Congjiang County. In the second of the four government-to-government agreements, Macao’s Education and Youth Affairs Bureau will initiate a twinning scheme for schools in the two places.
Under the third government-to-government initiative, the Macao Foundation will offer yearly scholarships – of an aggregate 100,000 patacas per year – to underprivileged students from Congjiang to study in Macao higher education institutions.
The fourth government-to-government initiative involved economic development. Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute will invite the Guizhou Provincial Government as well as business associations and enterprises from the Province to join the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair, and the Guangdong and Macao Branded Products Fair. The two events are due to be held in Macao on respective dates later in the year.
The Liaison Office and the Congjiang County authorities signed up to a scheme whereby the former will provide grants for students from disadvantaged families in the latter place. In addition, Macao non-governmental organisations and companies signed agreements covering four topics: human resource development; poverty reduction projects in Congjiang County; rebuilding projects; and reconstruction of an integrated teaching building in a Congjiang County school.
Speaking to reporters in Guizhou today, the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, said the SAR Government would closely monitor funds committed to poverty reduction projects in Guizhou, and the progress of the initiatives, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the assistance.
Funds from Macao to relieve poverty in Guizhou composed in aggregate money from the SAR Government, from the Macao Foundation, and from the Macao community, added Mr Leong.
While in Congjiang County, the Macao delegation also visited the “Dongxiang Health Industry Demonstration Zone”.
The Macao delegation arrived in Guizhou Province on Tuesday (22 May). On the first day of the visit, the group met with the Secretary of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee, Mr Sun Zhigang.
After the meeting, Mr Chui witnessed the signing of a cooperation framework agreement between the People's Government of Guizhou Province, the Macao SAR Government and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, regarding poverty reduction in Guizhou.
