Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said yesterday that the local government made new progress for Macau’s appropriate economic diversification this year thanks to the central government’s support while speaking at a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly.
Ho made the remarks in summarising the government’s work done this year, while introducing the 2025 budget bill and reviewing the work of the Macau Special Administrative Region’s (MSAR) fifth-term government.
He said that in 2024, the local government seized the opportunity presented by the addition of mainland cities to the Individual Visit Scheme for Hong Kong and Macau. It took advantage of the implementation of various immigration policies designed to facilitate travel for individuals and businesses while launching multiple channels for tourism consumption incentives, which successfully promoted a continuous recovery in the number of visitors from the mainland and abroad.
He added that the government has orderly implemented development plans for Macau’s appropriate economic diversification until 2028, while a framework for the city’s new “1+4” industrial structure was now largely established.
Ho also said that in the past year, his government systematically improved the legal framework for safeguarding national security, enhanced enforcement mechanisms, strengthened the social and political foundation of patriotism, and continued to advance urban security system development.
His summary also addressed other issues, including improving people’s livelihoods, deepening administrative management reform, strengthening infrastructure construction and better integrating Macau into national development.
Ho said he had a thorough discussion with Sam Hou Fai, the incoming chief executive, and in accordance with the Basic Law of the MSAR, the fifth-term SAR government has prepared the fiscal budget to ensure Macau’s stability and development as well as the normal functioning of the public sector.
– Xinhua, MPD
