Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai has underlined that Macau’s capitalist system and way of life, its status as an international free port and separate customs territory, and its continental law system will remain unchanged in the long term, while the “One Country” component of the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle in Macau must always be upheld.
Sam made the remarks while delivering a speech at a reception hosted by the local government at the MGM Macau casino-hotel resort in Nape on Friday evening for consuls-general and consular corps representatives as well as other representatives from nearly 50 countries and international organisations based in Hong Kong and Macau.
In addition to top local officials, Foreign Ministry Commissioner Liu Xianfa also attended the reception.
The Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS) released the full version of Sam’s speech on Friday night.
In his speech, Sam expressed his gratitude to the consuls-general and consular corps representatives for their significant contributions to fostering economic and trade cooperation as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges between Macau and countries across the world, enabling Macau to better give full play to its role as a platform for international cooperation and deepen international exchanges and cooperation.
The chief executive also expressed his gratitude to the Foreign Ministry Commissioner’s Office for its long-term important guidance and strong support in helping Macau establish its ties with the outside world.
Describing Macau as a shining pearl on the coast of the South China Sea and a treasured place of the great motherland, Sam said that over the past 25 years since its return to the motherland, Macau has been maintaining political stability, with the rule of law properly manifested, and has been enjoying social harmony, with residents living and working in peace and contentment.
The Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) was established on December 20, 1999.
Sam also underlined that with the central government’s firm support, Macau has been comprehensively, accurately and unswervingly implementing the “One Country, Two Systems” principle and faithfully implementing the “patriots governing Macau” principle, ensuring the MSAR’s long-term peace and stability.
In addition, Sam said, Macau’s economy has been steadily developing, positive progress has been made for the development of the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and the structure of Macau’s economy has been getting more diversified.
Sam went on to say that Macau’s unemployment rate has generally remained at a low level, residents’ well-being has been continuously improving, and the city has been maintaining good public security.
Consequently, Sam said, the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle in Macau has attained globally recognised achievements.
Sam said that the implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle is the biggest advantage for Macau’s development, quoting President Xi Jinping’s speech, which he delivered during the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland when paying an inspection visit to Macau in December last year, as saying that “the great achievements Macau has made since its return to the motherland have proven to the world that the cause of One Country, Two Systems, with its distinctive institutional strengths and strong vitality, is a good system that sustains the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macau, a good system that facilitates endeavours to build China into a great country and achieve national rejuvenation, and a good system for ensuring peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit between different social systems, so we [China] must stay committed to this cause”.
Sam pledged that the MSAR government will continue to comprehensively, accurately and unswervingly implement the principles of “One Country, Two Systems”, “Macau people governing Macau”, and a high degree of autonomy, while ensuring that the implementation of the principles will never be changed, distorted or deviated.
On the one hand, Sam said, the “One Country” component must be upheld, while the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests are always of paramount importance. By upholding the “One Country” component, Sam said, the local government must ensure that the central authorities’ overall jurisdiction is always exercised in Macau.
On the other hand, Sam said, the “Two Systems” component must also be defended, where the MSAR’s high degree of autonomy must be fully protected, while Macau’s capitalist system and way of life, its status as an international free port and separate customs territory, and its continental law system must remain unchanged in the long term.
Moreover, Sam underlined that the local government is committed to advancing the city’s appropriate economic diversification and boosting Hengqin’s development, adding that the projected “Macau + Hengqin” development mode is now becoming a new demonstration for the enriched implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, a new high ground for fostering the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA), and a new platform for achieving the nation’s high-quality opening-up to the outside world.
Sam also pledged that the local government will continue to deepen public administration reform and enhance governance capabilities, creating a business environment that makes it easier for residents to launch and run a business. The government will continue to improve residents’ well-being and promote social equity with the aim of enabling Macau’s development achievements to more fairly benefit residents, he said.
The chief executive also reaffirmed that the local government is planning its four large-scale projects aiming to inject new impetus into Macau’s development for the long term laid out by his 2025 Policy Address, namely the Macau International Integrated Tourism and Cultural Zone, the Macau Science and Technology Research and Development Industrial Park, the Macau International Aviation Hub for the Pearl River West Bank, and the Macau-Hengqin International University City.
As an important juncture in the nation’s “Belt and Road” initiative, Sam said, Macau will further promote its role as a platform for high-quality opening-up to the outside world and expand its network of passenger air routes, pledging that Macau will leverage its advantages from the blending of Chinese and Western cultures and turn itself into an important window of exchanges between Chinese and Western civilisations.
Sam noted that Macau welcomes countries and regions across the world to make good use of its role as an international cooperation platform and is eager to invite enterprises and tourists from across the globe to experience Macau and the nation’s development vitality.
Macau is willing to share its development opportunities with countries and regions across the world, expanding its international circle of friends, the chief executive said.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai addresses Friday’s reception held at MGM Macau for consuls-general and representatives from nearly 50 countries and international organisations based in Hong Kong and Macau. – Photo: GCS
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (centre), Foreign Ministry Commissioner Liu Xianfa (seventh from left) as well as top local officials pose for a group photo with consuls-general and representatives from countries and international organisations based in Hong Kong and Macau, at MGM Macau on Friday. – Photo: GCS
