Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai visited Hong Kong on Friday where he met with his counterpart John Lee Ka-chiu to exchange views on both sides jointly promoting the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) and better serving the nation’s overall development, the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS) announced in a statement that day.
During their meeting at Government House in Hong Kong, according to the statement, Sam and Lee also exchanged views on deepening industrial cooperation in various fields such as science and technology innovation, finance, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), tourism, culture and sports, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), and commerce.
In his meeting with Lee, the statement said, Sam expressed his gratitude to Hong Kong for its long-term support to Macau’s development, noting that Hong Kong and Macau are both special administrative regions of the nation, implementing the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, which has given both cities significant institutional advantages, Sam said.
Despite their different development positioning and focuses, Hong Kong and Macau complement each other strongly, Sam said, adding that further strengthening cooperation between both sides, based on the existing solid foundation, will lead to greater development for both special administrative regions.
According to the statement, Sam said during the meeting that the various important speeches and instructions made by President Xi Jinping during his inspection visit to Macau in December last year, including his hopes for Macau to promote appropriate economic diversification and to build itself into a platform for higher-standard opening up, has injected new impetus into Hong Kong-Macau cooperation.
Consequently, Sam said, both cities should, by aligning themselves with the nation’s overall development strategy while seizing the opportunities created by the GBA development, continuously enhance cooperation to achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, ultimately improving people’s well-being in Hong Kong and Macau.
Moreover, the statement said, the two chief executives also exchanged views on continuously advancing judicial assistance between the two special administrative regions.
HK govt’s statement
Meanwhile, according to a statement by the Hong Kong government on Friday, Lee noted during his meeting with Sam that both Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions of the nation, enjoying unique advantages brought about by the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, adding that the two cities “are as close as brothers”, with frequent people-to-people and cultural exchanges, alongside solid economic and trade relations.
According to the statement, Lee noted that the “One Country, Two Systems” principle is a good policy for maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macau, pledging that Hong Kong will continue to firmly uphold the principle of “One Country” and leverage the benefits of “Two Systems” with Macau.
Lee also noted that Hong Kong and Macau, both of which are core cities of the GBA, can achieve complementarity, and jointly participate in and promote the GBA development, enabling the people of both cities to share the fruits of economic development.
According to the statement, Lee said that Hong Kong and Macau have been working closely in fields such as economy, cross-border infrastructure, tourism and culture. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) has remarkably shortened the distance between Hong Kong and Macau, promoting closer communication and connections between the two cities, Lee said, underlining that the Hong Kong government has long provided dedicated support to the HZMB cross-border transport arrangements and measures with the aim of maximising the bridge’s economic and transport benefits.
Moreover, Lee said, the “Mutual Use of QR Code between HKSAR and Macao SAR Clearance Service”, jointly launched by the Hong Kong and Macau governments in July last year, has provided a faster and more convenient immigration experience for residents of both cities, further facilitating their exchanges.
The statement also said that in terms of promoting tourism, Lee said that Hong Kong will work together with Macau to expand the market of twin-destination tourism of the two cities. Hong Kong will collaborate with other cities in the GBA, including Macau, to establish a regional and international tourism brand.
Members of Sam’s delegation to visit Hong Kong on Friday included Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon, Secretary for Economy and Finance Anton Tai Kin Ip, Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Vai Man, Sam’s chief-of-cabinet Chan Kak, Policy Research and Regional Development Bureau (DSEPDR) Director Cheong Chok Man.
Hong Kong officials who attended Lee’s meeting with Sam comprised Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, and Lee’s chief-of-cabinet Carol Yip Man-kuen.
The GCS statement said that before meeting with Lee, Sam and members of his delegation visited the Hong Kong Science Park and the Hong Kong Palace Museum with the aim of gaining a better understanding of Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development as well as the achievements in its cultural and heritage cooperation with the mainland.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (left) shakes hands with his Hong Kong counterpart John Lee Ka-chiu at Government House in Hong Kong on Friday. – Photo: GCS
