Policy Address | No plan yet for 85 square kilometers of new waters

Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has said that his administration still does not have a plan to define the next steps in the use of 85 square kilometers of maritime jurisdiction placed under the SAR’s management by China’s State Council in December 2015.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the government, Ho said that Macau will continue to study how to best utilize the maritime area. This will be the principal role of the Coordinating Commission for the Management and Development of Maritime Jurisdiction Areas, according to the government.
In March 2017, the government of Chui Sai On announced the creation of the aforementioned commission to study the possible economic uses of the maritime area and to issue guidelines for its future use.
Initial proposals to use some of the maritime area for further land reclamation were rejected by Macau government officials, who found little of the 85 square kilometers suitable for this purpose.
Ho hinted during his Policy Address this week that Macau has reached the limits of what can be achieved with land reclamation. Describing the reclamation as “too slow,” the Chief Executive believes a better land solution can be arranged with nearby Hengqin. DB