The 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) have convened their third sessions in Beijing, which will kick off tomorrow and today respectively – and before departing for their sessions, several local NPC deputies and CPPCC members briefed reporters yesterday at the local airport on the proposals and suggestions they plan to present, focusing on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
The third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee will kick off at 3 p.m. today and conclude next Monday morning, lasting six days. According to Xinhua, the main agenda of the conference includes listening to and deliberating about the reports concerning the work of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the CPPCC and the members’ proposals; attending the third session of the 14th NPC, listening to and discussing the central government work report as well as other relevant reports; and deliberating on and passing several resolutions, including the political resolution of the third session, the resolution on the Standing Committee’s work report, and the resolution on the examination of proposals submitted since the second session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee.
Xinhua reported that the third session of the 14th NPC will be held tomorrow, with its press conference slated for 12 p.m. today at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Eleven local NPC deputies and 27 local members of the CPPCC National Committee gathered at the local airport yesterday morning to travel to Beijing for the two sessions. Before their departure, five representatives from each group spoke to the media, with their concerns covering youth employment, elderly care, the appropriately diversified development of Macau’s economy, and measures to encourage childbearing.
NPC deputies
Civic leader Ho Sut Heng said: “In Macau, particularly in our in-depth cooperation zone [in Hengqin], I am very concerned about how to make it more convenient for our citizens to start businesses there, find employment, and improve their quality of life. I believe it is necessary for the relevant administrative authorities to engage in in-depth discussions to ensure clarity of policy and future prospects, which will boost confidence and promote better integration.” She also emphasised the necessity of improving the local vocational training system to help employees adapt to the changes brought about by the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI).
Businessman Kevin Ho King Lun said: “I believe the focus of this year’s two sessions is primarily on the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and how we can secure more support from the central authorities for the construction of its second phase.” Citing President Xi Jinping’s clear guidance on Hengqin’s future development during his visit to Macau at the end of last year, as well as his speech delivered in Hengqin regarding the need to better utilise the advantages of Macau’s “One Country, Two Systems” principle, Ho stressed that for Hengqin’s future development, Macau should advocate for the central authorities to implement innovative legislation specific to Hengqin, ensuring these laws better align with those of Macau and the international community.
Lawyer Vong Hin Fai said: “As Macau deputies to the NPC, we are particularly concerned about how to facilitate the appropriately diversified development of Macau’s economy and its further integration into the overall situation of the nation’s development in the upcoming two sessions. In particular, we would like to explore the development of Hengqin and promote deeper integration between the systems of Hengqin and Macau.” He also stressed that Macau should better utilise its advantages of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, consolidate its positioning as “One Centre, One Platform and One Base”*, and leverage its strengths in economic and trade exchanges with Portuguese-speaking countries to assist the nation’s related work.
School principal Chen Hong said: “I’m particularly concerned about the In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin… I hope we can truly integrate [Macau and Hengqin], especially by finding ways to make life more convenient for our residents in terms of youth employment and children’s education.” She also expressed concern about the implementation of the nation’s Education Law and the forthcoming National Preschool Education Law, expressing her hope that, regarding the children of Macau residents studying in Hengqin, classes for mainland students could be established, allowing Macau and mainland students to study together to facilitate their exchanges and integration.
Civic leader Ng Siu Lai said: “We are all very concerned about the development of the Greater Bay Area, especially the situation of Macau in the In-Depth Cooperation Zone, such as the convenience of immigration clearance for residents and their living conditions there.” She also expressed concern about issues related to the ageing population and sub-replacement fertility, adding she believed that Macau’s practice of “ageing in place”** could serve as a reference for the whole nation in promoting community-based elder care, suggesting using Hengqin as a demonstration base to implement Macau’s approach and methodology for “ageing in place” in the Greater Bay Area, with a view to addressing Macau’s elder care challenges while also providing valuable experience for the rest of the nation.
Local National People’s Congress (NPC) deputies Ho Sut Heng (from left to right), Kevin Ho King Lun, Vong Hin Fai, Chen Hong and Ng Siu Lai pose after speaking to the media at the local airport yesterday morning. – Photo combo: Yuki Lei
CPPCC members
Building contractor and developer Mok Chi Wai expressed particular concern about the promotion of the In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, emphasising the need to enhance the integration of Macau and Hengqin through the alignment of rules and regulations, with a view to making immigration clearance more convenient for Macau residents travelling between the two places. He also expressed his hope that Macau can fulfil its role as a “China-Portuguese-speaking countries platform”, thereby contributing more significantly to the whole country and the development of the cooperation zone.
Local members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Mok Chi Wai (from left to right), Frederico Ma Chi Ngai, Alvis Lo Iek Long, Lam Lon Wai and Cheong Meng Seng pose after speaking to the media at the local airport yesterday morning. – Photo combo: Yuki Lei
According to businessman Frederico Ma Chi Ngai, the topics of his concern likewise are mainly focused on the development of the In-Depth Cooperation Zone, particularly on Hengqin-Macau integration, emphasising the joint development of the two places in the areas such as “big health” and “high-tech”. Among other things, Ma pointed out that Macau and Hengqin have already laid a good foundation for the development of their “big heath” industry. It was expected, he said, that in the future the co-development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) could be further explored to include Chinese medical treatment in addition to pharmaceutical products. As for the development of the high-tech industry, he said that in recent years Macau has been committed to chip design, while Hengqin has endeavoured to promote the development of cross-border e-commerce, hoping that the governments of the two sides could have more relevant supporting facilities to help cross-border e-commerce continue to develop in Hengqin. He added: “For example, the ongoing upstream cargo terminal built by the Macau International Airport in the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin is conducive to promoting the development of the aviation logistics industry in Macau, aiming to radiate to the west of Guangdong and other regions through Hengqin”.
Physician Alvis Lo Iek Long said his suggestions would focus on health issues and the integration of Macau’s youth into the nation’s development, particularly through the In-Depth Cooperation Zone and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) initiatives. He expressed his desire to promote healthy lifestyles, especially in sport, in light of the upcoming National Games in November: “The nation has made significant efforts to promote fitness for all, and I hope to leverage this opportunity to help the people of Macau cultivate healthy lifestyles and develop the habit of regular exercise in a more systematic and comprehensive manner”.
Focusing on Macau’s economic development, school vice-principal Lam Lon Wai said he would propose to promote Macau’s further integration and collaboration with the Hengqin In-Depth Cooperation Zone and the Greater Bay Area. His proposals also include establishing a vocational skills training institute in the zone, in partnership with mainland e-commerce companies, to help Macau cultivate talents for relevant kinds of employment. Additionally, according to his proposals, he aims to discuss with the mainland authorities the feasibility of securing more resources that align with the Macau government’s needs, thereby facilitating the integration of resources and services within the Greater Bay Area.
Emphasising the importance of a favourable business environment in attracting foreign investors, businessman Cheong Meng Seng said that the search for new opportunities and development space was currently the main task for Macau. He noted that the existing economic conditions were not ideal, warning: “If we continue to do things as we have in the past, we will not be able to attract quality capital resources,” stressing the need for collaborative efforts among the government, businesses, and the public, particularly in facilitating capital inflow and enterprise development. Additionally, he pointed out that many of Macau’s laws were outdated: “We need to make bold reforms and seek new avenues for development”.
Meanwhile, as reported by public broadcaster TDM, the spokesman for the third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, Liu Jieyi, underlined that the CPPCC National Committee will continue to support the development of the Greater Bay Area, and help Hong Kong and Macau achieve better development in integrating into the nation’s overall development.
*The government’s “One Centre, One Platform and One Base” policy refers to its resolve to further strengthen Macau’s role as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, an economic and trade cooperation platform for China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, and a cultural exchange and cooperation base, according to previous local government statements.
**Ageing in place refers to the ability of individuals to live in their own homes and communities safely, independently, and comfortably as they age, rather than relocating to assisted living facilities or nursing homes. This concept emphasises maintaining a high quality of life and autonomy for older adults by providing the necessary support, services, and modifications to accommodate their changing needs. – DeepSeek
