The 2025 Guangdong-Macau Cooperation Joint Conference was held in Guangzhou yesterday where both sides affirmed that thanks to the joint efforts of the two governments, significant phased achievements have been made in the development of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin while the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) is being steadily advanced, according to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS) last night.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai travelled to Guangzhou yesterday to attend the one-day meeting, which was co-chaired by Sam and Guangdong Governor Wang Weizhong.
During the meeting, according to the statement, Sam raised two points concerning his understanding of the various speeches made by President Xi Jinping during his visit to Macau last month.
Sam said the first point is that Guangdong-Macau cooperation has, over the 25 years since Macau’s return to the motherland, significantly contributed to the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle in Macau.
According to the statement, Sam said that Guangdong has provided substantial support and assistance to Macau in areas such as ensuring the supply of food, water and electricity to the city. Guangdong has also helped Macau with the enhanced convenience of customs clearance procedures, the promotion of cross-border trade settlement in yuan, and the strengthened industrial integration, enabling Macau to push ahead with its appropriate economic diversification drive, Sam said, adding that Macau’s development is inseparable from the close care and guidance shown to the city by the central government, as well as the strong support from the mainland’s various provinces and cities, particularly Guangdong Province.
According to the statement, Sam said that the second point is about the need to study and implement Xi’s series of important speeches concerning enhancing Guangdong-Macau cooperation. The spirit of Xi’s series of important speeches has established a new orientation and beacon for Guangdong and Macau, Sam said, adding that building upon available foundations of cooperation, the two sides should strive to elevate to a new level of pragmatic cooperation in multiple fields, jointly making greater contributions to building China into a stronger country and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
According to the statement, Wang said during the meeting that Xi paid inspection visits to Macau, Guangdong, and the in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin around the time of the 25th Anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland – a significant time in history – and delivered a series of important speeches, paving the way for a new high-quality development phase of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. Xi also provided a clear direction for supporting Macau’s integration into the nation’s overall development and outlined the blueprint for greater cooperation between Guangdong and Macau, Wang noted.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (left) shakes hands with Guangdong Governor Wang Weizhong on the sidelines of yesterday’s 2025 Guangdong-Macau Cooperation Joint Conference in Guangzhou. – Photo: GCS
