Central People’s Government Liaison Office in the Macau Special Administrative Region Director Fu Ziying said yesterday that Macau must not let its guard down at all in its normalised COVID-19 prevention and control work, and must resolutely safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests.
Fu made the remarks during a meeting hosted by the Central People’s Government Liaison Office at its headquarters in Zape about this year’s “Two Sessions” – the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing.
NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members from Macau as well as other community leaders and local and mainland officials attended yesterday’s meeting.
In addition to Fu, Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, and Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Macau’s first chief executive and now a vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, also addressed the meeting.
Fu’s 3 points
In his speech, Fu raised three points for Macau, Firstly, Macau’s civil society should deeply understand the “historic” achievements in the development of the nation and the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), Fu said.
Secondly, Fu urged Macau to “accurately” seize the major and important opportunities created by the nation’s continuous development.
Thirdly, Fu urged Macau’s civil society to firmly support the chief executive and his government to administer the city in accordance with the law.
In addition, Fu also called for Macau’s civil society to resolutely fight words and deeds that endanger national security.
Fu also said that the COVID-19 pandemic is a clear reminder of the various problems existing in Macau’s economic structure, urging civil society to actively support the local government’s work in pushing ahead with enacting the various amendments to Macau’s gaming industry law. The liaison chief also called for Hengqin to become a “new platform” for promoting the appropriate diversification of Macau’s economy with the development of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
Fu also said that Macau’s development is closely interrelated with the national development, adding that a stable development in the nation’s economy will create favourable conditions for Macau’s socioeconomic development.
In his speech, the chief executive underlined that COVID-19 prevention and control work is an essential prerequisite for Macau’s stable socioeconomic development. He pledged that the local government will continue to seriously learn from and sum up its experiences in COVID-19 prevention and control, and will not let its guard down in its COVID-19 work.
Chief executive’s 4 points
Ho Iat Seng raised four points for the local government following the recent completion of the “two sessions”.
Firstly, he pointed out, the concept of “patriots administering Macau” has been mentioned in the central government’s work report for the first time. The chief executive pledged that the local government will continue to firmly ensure the implementation of the “patriots administering Macau” principle, according to which, he said, the local government will ensure that all the powers to administer Macau are firmly grasped by patriots only.
The central government’s latest work report was delivered by Premier Li Keqiang during the opening session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing early this month.
The chief executive also pledged that the local government will adhere to its constitutional duty to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests.
Secondly, Ho Iat Seng said, the local government will persevere in continuing with its “good job” in COVID-19 prevention and control work while promoting Macau’s socioeconomic development.
Thirdly, the local government will continue with its work to promote the development of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and to further Macau’s integration into the nation’s overall development, the chief executive said.
Fourthly, Ho Iat Seng pledged that the local government will stick to its “original intention” of constantly improving residents’ lives. The local government will continue with its various social welfare measures and strive for the protection of residents’ employment. In addition, he said, the government will strengthen its work on youth affairs, according to which the local government will need to ensure that the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle will have qualified successors and “proceed steadily and go far”.
Consequently, the chief executive said, the local government will cultivate the younger generation with a sense of belonging to the nation and developing international horizons.
‘Endless’ pandemic: Edmund Ho
In his speech, Edmund Ho acknowledged that Macau’s development is still facing difficulties and challenges resulting from the adverse impacts on its economy from the COVID-19 pandemic that, he said, seemed “endless”.
Despite Macau’s optimistic economic prospects, Edmund Ho acknowledged, the ongoing economic downward pressure resulting from the local government’s strict COVID-19 prevention measures is causing hardship to local businesses and residents’ employment, because of which, he said, Macau is currently susceptible to various social conflicts and issues.
Edmund Ho called for Macau’s civil society to remain confident in Macau’s development prospects, based on the fact that Macau always can rely on the “great” motherland’s backing.
Edmund Ho said he believed that three things, namely the central government’s strong leadership and its support for Macau, the “strong vitality” of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle with Macau characteristics and its institutional advantages, and the local government’s timely measures to tackle residents’ financial hardship and boost the economy, will enable Macau people to get through and overcome the ongoing COVID-19-induced hardship.
Central People’s Government Liaison Office in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Director Fu Ziying (left), Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (centre), and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Vice Chairman Edmund Ho Hau Wah address yesterday’s meeting at the headquarters of the Liaison Office in Zape about this year’s “Two Sessions” that were held in Beijing earlier this month.
Photos: Liaison Office
