Macao is devoting utmost effort to complementing Macao’s unique advantages via cooperation with other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area), in order to realise goals outlined in the blueprint for the city-cluster initiative.

The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, made the comments today in Beijing when addressing a second plenary meeting of the leading group for the development of the Greater Bay Area. The meeting, at the Great Hall of the People, was chaired by Vice Premier of the State Council, Mr Han Zheng.

In his opening remarks, Mr Chui said the outline development plan for the Greater Bay Area provided a scientific basis for Macao’s role in the initiative, and for the direction of Macao’s effort relating to it, as well as offering a comprehensive overview regarding ways in which Macao could contribute to the Greater Bay Area.

The Greater Bay Area blueprint had great significance in terms of Macao achieving adequate economic diversification, promoting social well-being in the city, maintaining its long-term prosperity and advancing in Macao the implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle.

During today’s meeting, Mr Chui reviewed key steps the Government had taken to advance the Greater Bay Area, and the measures that would ensure Macao acted in concert with the Central Government’s overall planning for the Greater Bay Area.

Mr Chui stressed the Government’s commitment to the ‘two-pronged approach’ – as directed by President Xi Jinping – in relation to Macao’s economic diversification effort.

This referred to forging ahead with regional cooperation initiatives while enhancing Macao’s overall capabilities, with a focus on transforming Macao as a world centre of tourism and leisure and as a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries; along with promotion of key nascent industries.

The Chief Executive went on to say that Government departments would step up effort to create further innovative policies and pilot schemes, in order to foster coordination and communication with other Greater Bay Area cities.

The Greater Bay Area initiative was put forward by President Xi, to promote economic development in nine cities in Guangdong Province and the two Special Administrative Regions, i.e. Hong Kong and Macao.

The leading group for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was formed by the Central Government in 2018 and held its first meeting in August.

The chairman of the leading group is Vice Premier Han, and the two vice chairmen are the Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr Li Xi; and the Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Mr He Lifeng.