Top MSAR officials receive ‘training’ in Beijing

Han Zheng meets the Macau delegation

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng Tuesday met with senior officials and the prosecutor general of the MSAR to discuss matters including the “comprehensive and accurate implementation” of the one country, two systems policy and the Basic Law, according to several reports.

Han, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the top Macau officials should safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests unwaveringly. He added that they should actively pursue development, advance harmony, and firmly maintain lasting prosperity and stability in Macau.

The officials should work diligently to help integrate Macau’s own development into the overall development of the country, and seek benefits for the people, Han said, according to a Xinhua report.

At the meeting, Han praised the Macau government officials for their achievements in the development of Macau as well as for bringing together all sectors of society, consolidating and enhancing the prosperity and stability of the region.

Representing the Macau delegation, the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, spoke with the media, noting that this was the first time that Han had received representatives from Macau and Hong Kong since he took office, with the duties of being in charge of the two regions’ affairs.

The secretary noted that, “it becomes imperative to respect the socialist system implemented by national institutions, as well as respect for the Communist Party, according to the status of the ruling party in the country. […] It also becomes necessary to defend the powers of the Central Government, assimilating in an organic way the high level of autonomy enjoyed by the MSAR and to foster both the ‘political awareness’ and the “awareness of the country’s general interests.”

As a third point, Chan noted that is necessary to “seize local development opportunities, benefit from Macau’s special characteristics to diversify its economy and to plan a long-term development according to such characteristics and roles defined.”
As a final point, Chan remarked on the topic of “caring [for] Macau’s people,” noting that Han said that the government “should work for the wellbeing and satisfaction of Macau residents, listening to their voices and requests,” in order to ensure not only that the defined direction is followed but to make it easy to spot possible shortcomings.

According to Xinhua, the Macau officials and the prosecutor general were in Beijing “for training.” Sonia Chan revealed that the training session organized for the Macau main officials, which was concluded yesterday, served to inform them about the national situation and to prepare all government officials for the “new era” of “communism with Chinese characteristics” instituted by President Xi Jinping, as well as the new developments and intentions on the relationship of China with other countries and regions in the light of the new international situation.