Macau signs agreements aimed at poverty relief in Guizhou

The Chief Executive, Chui Sai On, expressed Macau’s support for Guizhou Province in relieving the effects of poverty on Wednesday. There will be complementary efforts at mutual regional development envisaged under the Pan-Pearl River Delta region initiative. Chui was delivering a speech during a seminar about poverty alleviation held in Congjiang County, Guizhou Province. The Chief Executive concludes today a three-day visit to the Province – co-organized by the PRC’s Liaison Office in Macau – to discuss poverty alleviation projects.

The Central Government previously approved the Macau SAR’s participation in the country’s overall effort on poverty relief. The State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development suggested Congjiang County in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, as a focus points for Macau’s assistance.

According to the first of the four government-to-government agreements, relating to education matters, the Macau SAR Government is to allocate an amount not exceeding RMB30 million to support the rebuilding of a primary school in Congjiang County. In the second of the four government-to-government agreements, the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau will initiate a twinning scheme for schools in the two places.

Under the third government-to-government initiative, the Macao Foundation will offer yearly scholarships of an aggregate MOP100,000 per year to underprivileged students from Congjiang to study in Macau’s higher education institutions.

The fourth government-to-government initiative will involve economic development. The Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute will invite the Guizhou Provincial Government as well as business associations and enterprises from the Province to join the Macau International Trade and Investment Fair and the Guangdong and Macau Branded Products Fair. The two events are due to be held in Macau on respective dates later in the year.

Funds from Macau to relieve poverty in Guizhou are composed of aggregate money from the SAR Government, the Macao Foundation, and the Macau community.