The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, today met with officials respectively from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) and the National Development and Reform Commission, in order to discuss issues related to Macao’s economic diversification and the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone planned for the island of Hengqin.

Mr Ho will return to Macao on Monday (17 August) after a six-day visit to Beijing. This morning, he met with the Party Secretary of the CPC Committee of the SASAC, Mr Hao Peng. Mr Hao is also the Chairman of SASAC.

During the meeting, the two officials exchanged views on how stated-owned enterprises (SOEs) – in particular centrally-administered SOEs – are supporting Macao’s economic development. They also discussed the role such enterprises could have in contributing to Macao’s effort to advance the establishment of the Intensive Cooperation Zone.

The Chief Executive mentioned that Macao had been stepping up its effort to make progress on strategies regarding, respectively, promotion of the city’s adequate economic diversification, and the advancement of the Intensive Cooperation Zone. He added that Macao was, specifically, looking forward for additional assistance from the SASAC regarding promotion of the city’s traditional Chinese medicine sector, and the development of infrastructure projects.

Mr Ho additionally thanked Mr Hao for receiving the Macao delegation on a Sunday, saying it illustrated SASAC’s support for the city’s development.

Chinese enterprises with a presence in Macao had, in particular, given strong support – since an early stage – to matters relating to Macao’s epidemic-control work, Mr Ho noted.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr Hao praised Macao’s effort in containing locally the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing the SASAC’s commitment to ensuring enough supply of healthcare and medical materials to the city.

Secretary Hao said the SASAC would support the establishment of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone, as well as projects that could enhance Macao’s public service, infrastructure, and people’s well-being. Mr Hao also said the SASAC could make available internship opportunities within its organisation for young people from Macao, contributing to enhance their professional competitiveness.

Mr Hao said additionally that the two sides could work closer to strengthen cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, by making use of Macao’s platform role and the city’s network related to Portuguese-speaking countries.

In a separate meeting held in the afternoon, Mr Ho met with the Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Mr He Lifeng.

Mr Ho expressed his appreciation for Mr He’s guiding opinions regarding the development path for Macao and Hengqin, and the development direction for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

He told Mr He that, during a series of meetings over the past few days in Beijing with officials representing departments and committees of the Central Government, the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government had received positive feedback and strong support for the development of the Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. The Macao SAR Government would spare no effort to promote to the local community the progress made on the Intensive Cooperation Zone project.

He also said the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic had made clear many of the problems regarding the city’s over-reliance in a single economic sector. Mr Ho stated that such situation had further reinforced the Macao SAR Government’s determination to press ahead with policies promoting the city’s economic diversification.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr He said he was pleased with Macao’s ability to contain locally the further spread of COVID-19. That, he said, was a result of Macao – under the leadership of Mr Ho – standing united in the fight against the pandemic. Mr He also noted that the Macao SAR Government had launched a number of special measures, namely offering financial support to local residents, and helping businesses to gradually resume operations.

The Commission would continue to press ahead – in a pragmatic way – with work relating to the joint development of Macao and Hengqin, in order to introduce new dynamics into Macao’s long-term development, Mr He said. President Xi Jinping paid great attention to Macao’s social and economic development, and had directed to assist Macao in pushing ahead with its adequate economic diversification, Mr He noted.