HKSAR 20 years | Chui pledges to accelerate Macau integration

Chief Executive Chui Sai On, speaking to an audience of 300 government officials in Hong Kong on Saturday, pledged to accelerate the “integrated development” of Macau with mainland China, under the Greater Bay Area strategy.

Chui was in the neighboring SAR late last week to attend celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to mainland China, otherwise known as the “handover”.

During his visit, Chui was received by Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to a statement published by Macau’s Government Information Bureau (GCS) on Saturday. He was also invited, to sign an agreement alongside the new chief executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, the director of the National Development and Reform Commission, He Lifeng, and the governor of Guangdong province, Ma Xingrui. President Xi witnessed the signing.

The agreement, known as the “Framework Agreement on Deepening Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Cooperation in the Development of the Bay Area,” concerns the adjoining of several cities in the Pearl River Delta estuary to create a mega-city cluster.

It was signed at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and followed by a conference on the topic at the InterContinental Hong Kong, attended by some 300 government officials and guests, including members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

The Macau chief executive delivered a speech at the conference pledging to “deepen the integrated development” of Macau with the mainland under the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Bay Area – or “Greater Bay Area” – plan.

Chui said that Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau are well equipped to construct a world-class metropolis, leveraging their unique advantages. This will coincide with a plan to gradually upgrade the Greater Bay Area plan “from a non-governmental initiative to a national strategy.”

He pledged that the MSAR would use all its available assets to “promote better and faster development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Bay Area,” through the adherence to four key principles.

These principles are the enhancement of communication with the Central Government in Beijing, the implementation of Macau’s first five-year plan, the deepening of integrated development with Guangdong province and Hong Kong and the leveraging of Macau’s unique resources and strength.

As is usual for speeches made by high-level officials, the chief executive referred to various policies of the national government and their associated slogans.

According to the GCS statement, Chui said that through Macau’s economic integration with mainland China, the city could fully “realize” the principles of One Country, Two Systems. He also said that Macau would participate in the Belt and Road Initiative as well as coordinate the construction of the One Center, One Platform scheme to use the MSAR as a link between China and the Portuguese- speaking countries.

According to GCS, Chui also made reference to a plan to construct “One Base.” Although it remains unclear as to what “One Base” entails, it may refer to the establishment of a “human resources training base for tourism education” in the MSAR. DB