The Commissioner's Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) held yesterday afternoon a briefing on the spirit of this year's "two sessions" in Beijing, i.e., the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the one of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) earlier this month. The nearly 3,000-deputy NPC is China's unicameral legislature, while the over 2,100-member CPPCC National Committee is its top political advisory body.
According to a statement by the office last night, Commissioner Liu Xianfa comprehensively introduced the relevant situation of the two sessions and had in-depth exchanges with the participants. More than 50 people attended the briefing held at the Commissioner's Office, including foreign consuls-general and representatives in Macau, foreign deputy secretaries-general of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Forum Macao), representatives of several Portuguese-speaking countries, heads of international organisations and foreign chambers of commerce, heads of eight Portuguese- and English-language media outlets in the MSAR, and journalists.
Liu, one of the most senior central government officials posted to Macau, underlined in his briefing conducted in English that 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the 25th anniversary of Macau's return to the motherland. He pointed out that it is also a critical year for achieving the goals and tasks of the central authorities' "14th Five-Year Plan".
Liu also emphasised that the successful convening of the "two sessions" this year is of great significance in gathering the consensus of people of all ethnic groups across the country, solidly promoting high-quality development under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernisation.
Liu stressed that General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a series of important speeches during the "two sessions", making clear arrangements for major issues such as developing new quality productive forces, promoting high-quality development, strengthening ecological and environmental protection, steadily improving people's livelihood, social security, and coordinating the promotion of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation.
Based on his insights and personal experience gained from participating in the "two sessions", Liu introduced Xi's important expositions on new quality productive forces and whole-process people's democracy through concise information, data and charts, and he also interpreted in detail the spirit of the "two sessions" and the central government's 2024 work report, pointing out that China has significant institutional advantages, the demand advantage of a very large market, the supply advantage of a complete industrial system, and the talent advantage of numerous high-quality staff. Liu, an engineer by profession, also said that the basic trend of economic recovery and long-term improvement has not changed and will not change.
Liu attended the "two sessions" as a member of the CPPCC National Committee. Apart from Liu, Macau's CPPCC National Committee delegation consists of 38 members. Macau's NPC delegation comprises 12 deputies.
Liu, an experienced senior diplomat, also said that the Chinese government and people have full confidence in promoting sustained, steady and long-term economic development, and the ability to promote the construction of a strong country in an all-round way and to advance the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernisation.
The statement noted that the participants in the nearly two-hour briefing and discussion warmly welcomed the successful convening of the "two sessions", spoke highly of China's economic and social development achievements, and thanked the Commissioner's Office for holding the briefing on the spirit of the "two sessions". They said that the content of the presentation was comprehensive, systematic, vivid, intuitive, in-depth and easy to comprehend, allowing them to grasp China's economic and social development more accurately and profoundly.
The statement also pointed out that thanks to the huge advantages of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability, Liu expressed his full confidence in China's development prospects.
Liu also said that the Commissioner's Office will actively publicise and report theory and practice of Chinese-style modernisation to all walks of life in Macau and the international community, and support Macau in leveraging its own advantages to better integrate into and serve the overall situation of national development.
- MPD
Caption: Foreign Ministry Commissioner Liu Xianfa (front, left) briefs over 50 diplomats and journalists about the nation's recently held "two sessions" yesterday at the Commissioner's Office of the Commission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR). - Photo: MPD
