Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng offered four pieces of advice regarding the development of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, during the first meeting of the Cooperation Zone's administrative committee, which was held in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, yesterday, according to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS) today.
The meeting was a critically important step forward in the development of the zone, which was launched by the central government early last month, the statement pointed out, adding that the meeting discussed the aspects of the zone's joint development, joint administration, and shared benefits.
The meeting was co-hosted by the two directors of the administrative committee - Ho and Guangdong Governor Ma Xingrui. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the planning for the zone's work, and approved a trial version of the rules for the workings of the administrative committee. A ceremony to present appointment certificates to the secretaries-general of the administrative committee and leading officials of the executive committee was held on the sidelines of yesterday's meeting.
Ho said in a speech during the meeting that the government of the Macau Special Administrative Region will work closely with the Guangdong government, acting in line with the central government's planning, in order to advance the zone's development. Under the zone's new model of collaboration, Macau and Guangdong will carry out work based on laws and regulations, and employ the principle of scientific decision-making, marked by a high degree of efficiency, Ho said. These efforts will be conducive to turning the zone into a new paradigm to demonstrate the advantages of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle with Chinese characteristics, Ho stressed.
Ho offered four pieces of advice during the meeting:
1) The need to further boost economic development with special emphasis on the healthcare industry with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as the starting point, as well as modern finance; high and new technology, and also cultural tourism, conventions and exhibitions, sports, and commerce and trade.
2) The need to further efforts to attract talents to the zone, especially highly-skilled professionals;
3) The need to deepen cooperation on social affairs and livelihood issues, by setting up a greater number of quality services in education, healthcare and community service in the zone;
4) The need to speed up development regarding the zone's legal system. The basis of this will be the nation's Constitution and the Macau Basic Law, with the aim of establishing step by step a regulatory system for civil and commercial matters aligned with that of the MSAR as well as international criteria.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive also called on the zone's newly-inaugurated officials to work in line with the requirements outlined by President Xi Jinping, and to uphold closely the zone's fundamental principle, i.e., mutual discussion, joint construction, joint administration, and shared benefits, in a bid to realise the goals outlined in the General Plan of the Development of the Guangdong-Macau Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
Ma said in his speech that work relating to the zone's development was progressing, as required under the overall guidelines from the Leading Group for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA), and thanks to concerted effort made jointly by Guangdong and Macau.
Currently, the zone's development is in a new phase of comprehensive and accelerated implementation, the statement quoted Ma as saying. Guangdong and Macau will work with a sense of mission, Ma pledged. He called for optimising the zone's management systems, stepping up efforts to attract large-scale enterprises and major projects to set up base in the zone, strengthening communication and coordination mechanisms externally and internally, and speeding up the implementation of major and innovative policies benefitting the zone. These initiatives aim to promote the zone's development, while enriching the practice of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, supporting Macau's adequate economic diversification effort, and furthering the MSAR's integration into the nation's overall development, Ma underlined.
Officials presented with appointment certificates included the two secretaries-general of the administrative committee, i.e., the director of the Hengqin Office of the Guangdong Government, Nie Xinping, and MSAR Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong. The executive deputy director of the administrative committee is Macau's Secretary for Administration and Justice Andre Cheong Weng Chon. Deputy directors of the administrative committee are Guangdong Executive Vice Governor Lin Keqing, Guangdong vice-governors Zhang Xin and Guo Yonghang, and Macau's Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak and Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U.
Lei is also the chairman of the zone's executive committee.
Photos: GCS
