Two sessions | 14th Five-Year Plan supports SAR’s development initiatives

The National People’s Congress (NPC) Plenary, which is now taking place in Beijing, has shown support for the development of leisure tourism, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) production, and financial services with special characteristics, among others.
The note was made when the plenary was presenting the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan.
A wide range of areas have been covered in the draft plan, namely Macau’s position as a world leisure and tourism center, Guangdong-Macau co-development of Hengqin, the expansion of Macau as a platform for China-Lusophone collaborations, the construction of a base celebrating both Chinese and multi-faceted cultures, as well as the support for Macau in developing TCM manufacturing, financial services, high-technology and economic diversification.
The draft also mentioned that Macau and Hong Kong will be integrated into the overall national development master plan, while complementing the advantages of the mainland and developing coordinated mechanisms.
As proposed, the two Special Administrative Regions (SAR) will be supported in the participation and assistance in the country’s quest to fully open-up and its establishment of a modern economic system, as well as creating a functional platform for the joint construction of the “Belt and Road.”
Economic, trade, science and innovative cooperation, as well as the interconnection of the financial markets between the mainland and the SARs, will be deepened. The construction of major cooperation platforms such as Shenzhen’s Qianhai, Zhuhai’s Hengqin, Guangzhou’s Nansha, and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Loop, will also be promoted.
Meanwhile, Han Zheng, Deputy Premier, who is in charge of SAR affairs, suggested Macau residents “think more” about the city’s collaborations with neighboring Hengqin.
The senior official made that comment when he was meeting with NPC Macau Representatives.
Representative Chui Sai Peng disclosed that the central government is about to reveal policies supporting Macau-Hengqin collaborations.
In addition, Representative Kevin Ho pointed out that Han did not mention to which area the policies will relate, but stressed that Macau should lower the proportion of GDP generated by the gambling industry. Representative Lai Sai Kei said that Han reminded Macau residents to prioritize the positive development of Macau while striving to integrate into the national master plan.

Focus on GBA, elderly care
Macau’s integration into the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and regional elderly care are two main topics of proposals made by Macau Representatives at the NPC Plenary.
Some of the 12 Macau representatives in the NPC proposed to the national parliament in the hopes of synergizing the supply of elderly care services within the GBA, alongside starting research into a GBA elderly care database and improving, on different levels, the quality of elderly care services.
The same group of representatives also raised suggestions in terms of residence and insurance purchase by Macau residents on Hengqin. An experimental operation may be started so that when the plan goes well, the same initiative can be expanded to other cities within the GBA.
As for the other political body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), six members made a joint proposal, suggesting to build a “Big Health Industrial Park” in Hengqin, collaboratively managed by Guangdong and Macau. It is hoped that a chain of “Big Health” industry can be built, incorporating medicine, livelihood, healthcare, management, tourism and food.
At the same time, Macau mogul and CPPCC member David Chow proposed that the central government support Macau in establishing a trade market for international goods. Staff Reporter