Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng delivered his 2022 Policy Address in the Legislative Assembly’s hemicycle yesterday afternoon, stressing efforts to strengthen its COVID-19 prevention system and promote the stable recovery of Macau’s economy in the coming year.
Ho said that thanks to the support of the central government and the concerted efforts of Macau residents, the local government achieved an economic recovery despite fluctuations, and social harmony and stability in 2021.
The 7th Legislative Assembly election took place smoothly in September, implementing the principle of “patriots administering Macau,” said Ho.
Looking ahead, the chief executive said that the coming year is expected to be better than 2021 for Macau in terms of economic and social development, but complexities still exist, requiring prudence and a proactive approach.
Noting that Macau has the motherland’s strong backing for its development, Ho said that Macau should be integrated into the nation’s development strategies against the backdrop of the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan and seek more development opportunities and space by actively participating in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA).
In 2022, the local government will strive to raise the vaccination rate of COVID-19 among residents in order to build up herd immunity and take a raft of measures to promote economic recovery and guarantee employment, Ho said.
Macau will also strive to nurture and develop industries to speed up appropriate economic diversification in 2022 while consolidating and improving traditionally advantageous industries so as to build an industrial structure that is appropriately diversified and sustainable, the chief executive said.
Efforts will be made to develop a comprehensive tourism and leisure industry combining the elements of eating-out, sightseeing, shopping, entertainment, medical services and sports, and nurture and develop the “big health” industry starting with the research and manufacturing of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), according to Ho.
In September, the central authorities issued a general plan for the development of an in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin as a major arrangement to enrich the practice of “One Country, Two Systems” in Macau and boost its appropriate economic diversification.
Ho said in his address that Macau will advance the development of the cooperation zone in Hengqin in a pragmatic manner to gradually implement reform and opening-up measures, pledging to speed up the drafting of major supporting policies, including special measures to relax market access in the cooperation zone, as well as a list of the first batch of authorised items and industries of interest.
He also said Macau will earnestly safeguard national security and further improve the legal and institutional guarantees for the principle of “patriots administering Macao,” upgrade supporting legislation, step up law enforcement, enhance liaison and cooperation with cities in the mainland to prevent and deter acts endangering national security, and guard against interference or penetration by external forces.
Macau will also step up cooperation and exchanges with the countries and regions along the Belt and Road (B&R) in education, tourism, medical services, sports and culture and fully play its role of a platform linking China and Portuguese-speaking countries, Ho added. – Xinhua, MPD
