Xi demands MSAR prepare for the unexpected

President Xi Jinping receives the Chief Executive Chui Sai On in Beijing

The Chinese President Xi Jinping said that he wants the Chief Executive Chui Sai On and the new MSAR administrative team to bear responsibilities and prepare for the unexpected. Meanwhile, Premier Li Keqiang said that Macau is at the critical moment of development and adjustment, and that the central government “will continue to provide support to Macau as always.”
Xi Jinping met Chui Sai On on December 26 in Beijing when the CE was presenting his work to the President. Xi said that the central government fully approves of the work of the MSAR government. Following the swearing-in of the new administration, the president wants the CE and the top officials to “be courageous in taking on responsibility and be good at accomplishing [duties].” He also hopes that the “Chief Executive Chui and the new administration can take on responsibility, enhance the awareness of their being in charge and be prepared for unexpected development in the future.”
Moreover, Xi has asked the government to improve the administration of Macau and continue to push for the all-round development of the Macau economy.
In response, Chui Sai On thanked the president for visiting Macau during the 15th anniversary of the MSAR and presiding over the swearing-in ceremony of the top officials. He also thanked the central government for its support, including the granting of two extra pandas to Macau, as well as launching the study on the administrative rights of Macau’s water.
Before meeting the president, Chui Sai On met with premier Li Keqiang. The premier has also approved of the work of the MSAR government and the two CEs throughout the 15-year period after the sovereignty handover.
“Macau is still at a critical moment of development and adjustment. The central government will, as always, provide all kinds of support to allow Macau to maintain this good trend and better develop and improve the livelihood of residents,” he said.
The CE responded by giving special thanks to Li Keqiang for the 24-hour border crossing at the Hengqin checkpoint and the additional opening hours of the Border Gate checkpoint, which the premier later said were the “special measures” the central government granted MSAR. Chui also expressed gratitude for a recently signed supplement to the Mainland and Macau Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), saying that it would contribute to new breakthroughs in the collaboration between Macau and the Guangdong province.
Before his returning to Macau on Saturday, Chui Sai On spoke to the media and summed up his visit. He said that after hearing Beijing’s instructions, he will emphasize work on different aspects where there are problems that must be solved. “We have listened to the instructions from the nation’s leaders. My team and I will submit the policy directives in March. We will try to make [the directives] compatible with my policy platform [for the CE election], as well as to match them with the works we need to thoroughly carry out,” he said.

study on macau customary water territory launched

Chui Sai On revealed that the central government has already officially replied to the MSAR government regarding the launching of a study on the administrative rights of Macau’s customary water. He said that the study will be finished in December 2015 and the Macau government will actively support the study. “Currently, the customary water of Macau does not belong to the SAR. There is a series of applications, processes and approvals [needed for constructions such as] the reconstruction of the Patane Water Market and the ferry terminal. If the [administrative rights] of the area belongs to the MSAR, I think the administrative situation will be different from that of in the past,” he said. But the CE reiterated that Macau still has to apply to the central government if it wants to carry out any future reclamation after acquiring the administrative rights of the water territory.