The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, who is on a three-day visit to Beijing, delivers a speech during a meeting with the Minister of the General Administration of Customs of China, Mr Ni Yuefeng.
The SAR Government is exploring with mainland authorities ways of increasing the efficiency of the customs clearance process, in order to accommodate the greater movement of goods and higher frequency of people-to-people exchanges envisaged under the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, shared information on Macao’s effort in this regard during a meeting today in Beijing with the Minister of the General Administration of Customs of China, Mr Ni Yuefeng.
Mr Chui added that discussions between the SAR Government, the Guangdong government and the Zhuhai government on development of the new Guangdong-Macao boundary-crossing checkpoint at Ilha Verde on Macao peninsula were progressing well, including possible innovation regarding procedures.
The Gongbei checkpoint – between Zhuhai Prefecture and Macao, and considered the country’s busiest – in late April 2018 set a new daily record of 440,000 movements by travellers. Mr Chui said the SAR Government was paying close attention to the issue, and planned to press ahead with innovative measures in customs clearance to provide greater convenience to travellers.
During today’s meeting, Mr Ni spoke highly of Mr Chui’s dedication to the cause of enhancing the efficiency of the customs system, noting Mr Chui had paid a total of five visits to the General Administration since he took office as Chief Executive.
Mr Ni noted the General Administration and the Macao Customs Service had made a consistent effort to promote closer ties regarding respectively: customs clearance; enforcement action against smuggling activities; opening hours of border checkpoints; and quarantine inspection. Advancing cooperation between the mainland and Macao would create fresh development opportunities, Mr Ni added.
The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, who was also present at the meeting, pointed out that the SAR Government was looking forward to the support of the General Administration regarding the implementation in Macao of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
Such effort could complement Macao’s role as a commercial and trade cooperationservice platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and also have an impact on Macao’s high-value-added commodities sector, said Mr Leong.
Other Macao officials attending today’s meeting included: 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 Chief Executive arrived in Macao on the afternoon following a three-day visit to Beijing.
On Monday (28 May), the delegation attended the launch ceremony of the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership 2018, during which three new Beijing-Macao agreements were signed. That day the delegation also attended the 5th China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), and the accompanying CIFTIS Global Trade in Services Summit.
Mr Chui additionally on Monday evening held a meeting with the Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr Cai Qi, to exchange views on matters of mutual interest.
During that meeting, Mr Chui offered three suggestions regarding extension of Beijing-Macao ties. They were: 1) fostering respective strengths in order jointly to play greater roles in the major national strategies; 2) extending mutual ties in a number of areas in order to bring more benefits for the people from both places; and 3) encouraging frequent exchanges between young people from the two places, with a focus on entrepreneurship and development of innovation.