The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, delivers a speech at the launching ceremony of the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership 2018 and the signing of cooperation agreements held in Beijing.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) looked forward to expanding Beijing-Macao cooperation, in order to create fresh benefits for the people from both places.
Beijing-Macao ties were an important template for Macao to press ahead regarding reciprocal cooperation with other mainland cities, added Mr Chui.
In his speech delivered at the launch ceremony in Beijing of the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership 2018, Mr Chui called for open-minded and innovative forms of cooperation, particularly in terms of how to advance Macao’s participation in the “Belt and Road” initiative and in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Macao’s development paths – as a world centre of tourism and leisure and as a commercial and trade cooperationservice platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries – and its overall strategy to diversify the city’s economy, would in turn foster Beijing-Macao cooperation, said Mr Chui.
During today’s ceremony, Mr Chui and the Chairman of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Mr Ji Lin, witnessed the signing of three agreements regarding respectively: vocational training; Macao’s membership of the China World Tourism Heritage Promotion Alliance; and cooperation on winter sports.
Mr Chui said since the inception in 2016 of the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership programme, the two places had helped encourage more frequent exchanges among young people and civil servants from both places, as well as patriotic education in Macao.
Sound cooperation over the years had been fruitful for Macao and Beijing in terms of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) sector, economic and trade matters, investment, and partnership in tourism.
In addition to those achievements, Macao and Beijing had been pressing ahead regarding cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine, sports, science and technology, and transport management, based on respective agreements signed in past years.
During today’s ceremony, Mr Ji highlighted four aspirations for further Beijing-Macao cooperation. They were: 1) optimisation of communication mechanisms for government, for media organisations and for non-governmental associations; 2) incremental expansion in major investment areas; 3) strengthening of cooperation in serving key national strategies; and 4) enhancement of people-to-people exchanges.
Other officials presiding at today’s signing ceremony included: Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Office of the State Council, Mr Song Zhe; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Yao Jian; the Secretary General of the CPPCC Beijing Municipal Committee, Mr Yan Li; and Macao’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac.
Additional Macao officials attending the ceremony comprised: the Director-General of the Macao Customs Service, Mr Vong Iao Lek; 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, Ms Lei Ut Mui; and the Director of the Representative Office of the Macao SAR in Beijing, Ms Hong Wai.
The Government delegation arrived in Beijing on Sunday (27 May) for a three-day visit. Prior to today’s launch ceremony of the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership 2018, the Government delegation attended the 5th China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), and the accompanying CIFTIS Global Trade in Services Summit.
The Chief Executive also held a meeting with the Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committeeof the Communist Party of China, Mr Cai Qi, to exchange views on matters of mutual interest.