Former top judge is chosen as the Chinese casino hub’s first leader born in mainland

Kanis Leung, MDT/AP

Macau’s former top judge, Sam Hou Fai, has been chosen as the city’s next chief executive, becoming the first leader born in mainland China to hold the role. In a largely ceremonial election on Sunday, Sam secured 394 out of 398 votes from an election committee dominated by Beijing loyalists, with only four blank votes. Sam’s appointment marks a shift from the tradition of electing leaders born in the former Portuguese colony, often from influential business families.

Sam, 62, is widely seen as having Beijing’s approval. During his nomination, 386 committee members had already endorsed him, and after his election, he pledged to uphold national sovereignty, diversify Macau’s economy, and integrate it further into China’s national development plans. Sam will take office in December, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of Macau’s handover to China.

While most of Macau’s 687,000 residents lack voting rights, reactions to the election have been mixed. Some hope Sam will prioritize public opinion over business interests, while others feel detached from a process they cannot participate in. Despite his mainland origin, many residents appear comfortable with his selection in a city known for its migrant population.

Macau is the only place in China where casino gambling is legal, but Beijing has urged the city to reduce its reliance on gambling. Sam has promised to continue efforts to diversify the economy by expanding tourism and other sectors like traditional Chinese medicine and finance. However, analysts believe Macau will still depend heavily on its gambling industry to support government revenue and social welfare programs.

Beijing envisions Macau as a world-class tourism hub and a bridge for trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. However, local businesses have suffered due to competition from the neighboring mainland city of Zhuhai, which offers better value for money. Additionally, Chinese tourists are spending less in Macau than before.

Observers question whether Sam, who lacks government leadership experience, can assemble a strong team to address these challenges. Sam emphasized the importance of Macau’s integration into the Greater Bay Area, a Chinese plan to connect Macau and Hong Kong with cities in Guangdong province. He also called for the government to take a more active role in decision-making, saying that despite Macau’s capitalistic economy, the government should not be passive.

Sam was born in Guangdong in 1962 and studied law at Peking University and the University of Coimbra in Portugal. He practiced law in mainland China before being appointed as Macau’s top judge in 1999, shortly after the territory returned to Chinese rule. He held this position for nearly 25 years before resigning in August to run for chief executive. As a judge, Sam handled politically sensitive cases, including upholding bans on pro-democracy protests and barring certain candidates from legislative elections.

Looking ahead, some residents are hopeful Sam’s legal background will help him tackle Macau’s social and economic problems. For example, seafood restaurant operator Ip Weng U, 49, expressed hope that Sam could perform better than his predecessors, given his experience as a judge.

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