Driving license mutual recognition said to be still under discussion

The Chief Executive (CE) has said that the local government does not have a timeline for implementing the mutual recognition scheme of driving licenses issued by authorities on the mainland China and Macau, according to a statement released by the Government Information Bureau.

On Monday, the CE issued an Executive Order to authorize the Secretary for Transport and Public Works to represent Macau in signing an agreement with the mainland on the mutual recognition of driving licenses by both mainland and Macau authorities.

Chui stressed that the scheme is aimed at mutual recognition of driving qualifications, which is different from enabling mainland-registered vehicles to be driven directly into Macao, and vice versa.

Chui said the government believed the mainland-Macau recognition scheme would not create huge external demand for the right to drive in Macau, noting that there are four companies in Macau providing a total of 120 light vehicles available for rent – which represents 0.1 percent of Macau’s total number of vehicles.

Mutual understanding and achievement of equal status for the two sides is fundamental to the scheme, Chui said.

He believes the plan will make things more convenient for the Macau public when doing business, travelling, or working on the mainland, especially in relation to young people taking part in the Government-led effort to integrate Macau’s development into major national strategies.

The statement also mentioned that approximately 10,000 Macau residents obtained mainland driving licenses between 2016 and 2017, noting that the government has received a total of 20 opinions from members of the Transport Consultative Committee, since the scheme was first proposed in October 2017.

The CE reiterated that the plan was not being pursued for any political purpose, and on the Macau side, it was the responsibility of the combined work of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, and the Secretary for Security.

Yesterday, the Public Security Police Force issued a statement saying that the department will enhance the public’s sense of traffic safety to cope with the scheme’s implementation in the future.