Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng yesterday called for further effort to carry out the central government’s decisions and plans by upholding and perfecting the One Country, Two Systems principle, in order to promote Macau’s stable and sound development in the new era.
Ho urged people from all walks of life to learn about the aspirations set out in the recent report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), regarding them as guidelines for the present and the future.
The chief executive made the remarks in a speech during a formal reception to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR). The reception was hosted by the local government at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex (Forum Macao).
In his speech, Ho acknowledged that Macau’s economy, the livelihoods of its people, and local employment, had been severely impacted over the past three years amid recurring COVID-19 outbreaks. Based on the central government’s strong leadership and support, the MSAR government, Ho stressed, has always adhered to the national COVID-19 prevention policy, prioritising people’s safety and health, and uniting all sectors of civil society. The concerted efforts ensured that Macau has been able to safely overcome the severest challenges, including the severe June 18 novel coronavirus outbreak, Ho pointed out.
Looking ahead to next year, Ho said the local Government will respond to the latest COVID-19 related developments, in order to optimise prevention measures as appropriate, and implement the “20 adjusted measures” and the “10 new measures” announced by the State Council. Ho emphasised that the focus of COVID-19 control has changed from infection prevention and control to medical treatment, thereby safeguarding people’s health and preventing severe cases.
The MSAR government will closely monitor the COVID-19 developments and the degree of severity of confirmed cases, and allocate medical resources as needed, Ho pledged. He said the aim was to reduce the incidence of severe cases and to lower risk of fatalities, in order to safeguard people’s lives and health, and to minimise the impact of the pandemic on Macau’s socio-economic development.
‘1+4 strategy’
With the gradual relaxation of restrictions on people’s movements, the completion of the tender for Macau’s new gaming concessions and the signing of the agreements with the six operators, and the orderly implementation of the “1+4” strategy for advancing appropriate economic diversification, Macau will definitely overcome its predicament, and embrace a new horizon in terms of post-pandemic development, Ho said.
The ”1+4” strategy was revealed by Ho in his 2023 Policy Address last month, according to which the government will adopt the “1+4” appropriate diversification development strategy to enrich Macau’s function as “One Centre” for integrated tourism and leisure, while facilitating the development of four nascent industries, namely the Big Health industry; modern financial services; high tech; and the sectors of conferences and exhibitions, commerce and trade, and culture and sport.
Ho said yesterday the local government, while maximising its efforts in epidemic prevention and control, would always uphold the One Country, Two Systems principle while upgrading the quality of public administration and finetuning economic development.
Over the past three years, the local government has always adhered to the principle of serving the public, giving priority to improving people’s livelihoods, and striving to resolve problems related to employment, housing, healthcare, and the care of the elderly, Ho said.
The chief executive underlined that the local government has launched multiple rounds of financial relief measures, to stabilise the economy, safeguard local employment, and alleviate people’s hardships since the COVID-19 began to affect Macau’s socio-economic development in early 2020.
The government’s expenditure on maintaining regular welfare for local residents amounted to 68.3 billion patacas, while its expenditure on providing financial assistance in response to the pandemic was about 32.3 billion patacas – resulting in a total expenditure of 100.6 billion patacas, Ho pointed out
Ho also underlined his government’s ongoing effort to adhere to the rule of law, effectively safeguard national security, and continuously improve the overall quality and standard of governance in Macau.
‘Patriots governing Macau’
Ho stressed that the local government has ensured the firm implementation of the principle of “patriots governing Macau”, and facilitated amendments to the Law on Safeguarding National Security.
The local government is determined to integrate Macau more proactively into the overall national development plan, Ho said. The 2nd Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the MSAR had been published, in order to align comprehensively with the national development strategy, the chief executive noted. The MSAR government has actively participated in the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Ho said. He also said that there have been significant results in the construction of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; and steady progress in the establishment of strategies relating to the aim of consolidating Macau’s status as “One Centre, One Platform, and One Base”.
In the coming year, the local government will fully implement the spirit of the CPC 20th National Congress, and President Xi Jinping’s raft of important instructions, Ho said. In line with the overall policy direction, Macau will effectively seize the opportunities arising from national development; make good use of the policies and measures introduced by the central government in support of Macau’s development; focus on promoting economic recovery; actively improve people’s livelihoods; tackle the deep-rooted conflicts and problems in economic and social development; expedite appropriate economic diversification and the development of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; and better integrate the MSAR into the overall national development plan, Ho said.
All this will help Macau continue breaking new ground in various undertakings, and make new contributions to realise the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation through the Chinese Path to Modernisation, Ho stressed.
Astronauts congratulate MSAR on anniversary
At the reception, Ho also announced that the “Macau Student Science Satellite I” has been released successfully from the China Space Station into orbit. The project illustrated the nation’s steadfast support for including Macau and the Greater Bay Area in the country’s science research effort, the chief executive said. In addition, Ho underlined the MSAR has received a congratulatory message from the nation’s three astronauts currently in orbit – Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu – on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the MSAR.
About 350 guests attended yesterday reception including the vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Edmund Ho Hau Wah; the director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the MSAR, Zheng Xincong; the commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the MSAR, Liu Xianfa; the deputy commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Macau Garrison, Dai Jinsong; the president of the Legislative Assembly (AL), Kou Hoi In; the president of the Court of Final Appeal (TUI), Sam Hou Fai.
In the morning, Ho and around 250 guests attended a solemn flag-raising ceremony held at Golden Lotus Square, to mark the anniversary. – MPD, GCS
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng deliver a speech at a reception marking the 23rd anniversary of the establishment of the MSAR, at the Forum Macao Complex yesterday. – Photo: GCS
