The Hou Kong Junior Chamber (JC) held a press conference yesterday on its “2025 Campaign”, on the sidelines of which President Elvis Pascal Chao told the media that his group will place special emphasis on the sports economy this year, calling for the participation of local youths and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a view to contributing to the appropriately diversified development of Macau’s economy.
The press conference took place on the premises of the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations.
Chao said: “Over the past few years, we’ve received positive feedback indicating that young people remain enthusiastic about entrepreneurship. We have implemented various projects in areas such as big health, financial technology [fintech], and artificial intelligence [AI], with high participation rates. This year, we aim to create more opportunities in the sports sector, allowing young people from diverse fields to explore avenues for development”.
According to Chao, his group is scheduled to hold a forum in June, inviting guests from the mainland’s sports industry, who are more mature than their local counterparts, to tell them about their experiences, “hoping that representatives from the government and various sectors of the community will also participate to inspire young people’s thinking”.
He added: “In addition to the common cultural and creative products presently available, there are many sectors involved in planning sporting activities, including exploring potential connections between performing arts and sport, as well as the possibility of a large-scale fan economy that allows various SMEs and industries to participate. This is something we all anticipate and hope to achieve”.
This year, the group’s activity plan will encompass four major areas of development, namely, international, business, social, and personal professional development, in which a raft of activities in collaboration with their counterparts in Japan will be held to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their alliance, alongside the 20th Anniversary of Macau becoming a World Heritage Site, Chao said, adding that the activities will include a visit to the tourism office in Himeji of Japan, participation in the Himeji Castle Festival, a visit to the Osaka World Expo in Kansai, and design competitions, among others.
Hou Kong Junior Chamber President Elvis Pascal Chao delivers a speech during yesterday’s press conference on the premises of the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations in Toi San district. – Photo: Yuki Lei
