Pandemic opens a window on existing problems
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted some extant structural problems in Macau, making them visible to society and allowing the community to take action to address the issues, the Chief Executive (CE) Ho Iat Seng has said, quoting President Xi Jinping, during a speech the CE gave late last week during the Macao Chamber of Commerce’s Spring Dinner.
“In December last year, on the occasion of my visit to Beijing to present the annual work report, President Xi Jinping stated that this epidemic allowed all sectors of Macau society to better understand the problems existing in the economic structure, also prompting an in-depth reflection on the direction of Macau’s development,” Ho said, adding that such acknowledgment will contribute to the acceleration of local economic diversification.
Anticipating the many challenges of the year ahead, namely those related to the pandemic, the CE also noted that it is “in difficult times that courage and perseverance reveal themselves,” calling on everyone to continue to pursue the traditional values of excellence, “love for the Motherland and Macau,” and in defense of the “One country, two systems” principle as the path to success in overcoming all the difficulties.
“The year 2022 brings new opportunities but also new challenges. On one hand, due to the great uncertainties that remain regarding the evolution of the epidemic and the economic recovery in global terms, Macau will continue to face an unstable and volatile environment for development,” said Ho.
“On the other hand, the holding this year of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, the implementation of the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan, the rapid establishment of the new development pattern of ‘dual circulation’ [strategy] and […] promoting the construction of the Intensive Cooperation Zone between Guangdong and Macau in Hengqin, will give strong impetus to Macau’s economic and social development,” Ho added.
According to Ho, the city should keep its “confidence firm and our perseverance strong, work together, and hand-in-hand seize opportunities, face challenges and jointly create a new vision for Macau’s development.”
The CE said that local government will, in 2022, “foster a better business environment, support with exactitude, and more deeply, small and medium-sized enterprises, boost scientific and technological innovation, create a new regime for the introduction of qualified staff and constantly strengthen the passage of Macau development.”
More opportunities will also arise from national development projects, thus the CE says that Macau must continue to push forward the construction of the Intensive Cooperation Zone and “enthusiastically participate in the construction of the Greater Bay Area and the ‘Belt and Road’ projects.”
