Gov’t sees recognition from mainland authorities in its governance

The Chinese government has recognized Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai’s accomplishments over the past year, highlighting his leadership in driving significant progress across various initiatives in the region.

“CE Sam Hou Fai has united and led the new special administrative region (SAR) government alongside all sectors of society in diligently implementing the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s important speeches during his inspection of Macau. Through enterprising and pragmatic efforts, we have witnessed significant progress across various initiatives,” stated Zheng Xincong, director of the Liaison Office in Macau, during his speech at yesterday’s Spring Festival reception.

He emphasized that Sam’s administration has fully embraced the principle of “patriots administering Macau,” demonstrating a firm commitment to safeguarding national security.

“We have accelerated the development of a diversified economy, achieved remarkable advancements in the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and welcomed a record-high number of visitors throughout the year,” Zheng noted. He also highlighted ongoing public administration reforms and the continuous enhancement of governance effectiveness.

The reception held yesterday afternoon saw the participation of 1,300 key leaders from legislative and judicial bodies, principal officials of the SAR government, Macau deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC), members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), as well as representatives from various sectors of Macau society.

Zheng, acting on behalf of Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Central People’s Government, extended Chinese New Year greetings to Macau residents.

In his address, he outlined four key requirements under the theme of “working together to enable Macau to soar higher and go further” to “achieve new breakthroughs in promoting appropriate economic diversification,” “take new strides in enhancing the SAR’s governance effectiveness,” “show new momentum in developing and strengthening patriotic and pro-Macau forces,” and “demonstrate new achievements in safeguarding national security and social stability.”

In line with key directives from the Central government, there is a renewed call to accelerate the development of new industries with international competitiveness, with particular focus on advancing the second phase of the cooperation zone and establishing a higher-level platform for economic openness.

Zheng emphasized the ongoing need to refine the grassroots governance system tailored to Macau’s unique characteristics to enhance governance effectiveness within the region. He also underscored the importance of encouraging the pro-Macau, patriotic camp to uphold core principles while fostering innovation and improving both quality and quantity.

According to Zheng, greater attention and support will be directed to the growth and development of young people, empowering them to become the key drivers and successors in Macau’s advancement, thereby ensuring the enduring legacy of the “One Country, Two Systems” framework.

In response to Xi’s full affirmation of Macau’s efforts, Sam remarked in his address yesterday, “This is a tremendous encouragement and motivation for us, and also an important guide for our future work.” He emphasized the commitment to fully implement the central government’s comprehensive governing authority by mid-2026, reinforcing that the foundation of “patriots administering Macau” must remain unshakeable.

“We will demonstrate greater resolve, embrace reform, and dare to innovate,” he stated. “Strengthening our sense of mission and responsibility, we will advance with unwavering confidence. We will continue to implement the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle comprehensively, accurately, and resolutely. Furthermore, we will steadfastly safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, while upholding the essential principle that Macau must not descend into chaos.”

The CE highlighted the concept of dual-axis synergy in his speech as a means to promote Macau’s long-term prosperity and stability.