Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai and the president of Portugal’s Assembly of the Republic José Pedro Aguiar-Branco have vowed to strengthen relations between the two sides, according to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS).
Sam met at Government Headquarters with Aguiar-Branco on Friday afternoon to exchange views on deepening friendly cooperation between China and Portugal and continuously enhancing Macau’s role as a bridge and link between China and Portuguese-speaking countries (PSC).
Aguiar-Branco visited Macau during an official visit to China last week, which ended in Hong Kong on Saturday.
The statement quoted Sam as saying that Aguiar-Branco’s meetings with the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji, and Vice-President Han Zheng in Beijing earlier last week showed that the traditional friendship between the two countries and their mutually beneficial cooperation continue.
Sam also said that the inclusion of Macau in the visit’s itinerary fully demonstrated the ongoing deepening of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Portugal, as well as Portugal’s profound friendship towards Macau.
According to the statement, Sam noted that he will lead a local government delegation to Portugal later this month, pointing out that the visit will include meetings with the highest number of Portuguese officials and the broadest scope to date, demonstrating the great importance the local government attaches to strengthening friendly relations with Portugal, and its determination to pragmatically expand areas of bilateral cooperation.
The Chief Executive emphasised that, under the leadership and support of the Central People’s Government, the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) has exercised governance in strict accordance with the national Constitution and the local Basic Law. He underlined that over the years, Macau’s civil society has remained harmonious and stable, the economy has seen continuous growth, and the institutional advantages of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle have been fully demonstrated. He recalled that President Xi Jinping, during the ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland, stressed that principle represents a sound system that must be maintained in the long term, noting that the values embodied in the principle are shared by China and the rest of the world and deserve to be safeguarded together.
According to the statement, Sam thanked the Portuguese government for its long-standing trust and support for the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. At the same time, he highlighted that the MSAR government attaches great importance and commitment to preserving the cultural traditions of Portuguese residents in Macau, actively promoting the teaching and advancement of the Portuguese language to ensure the harmonious coexistence and mutual enrichment of the Chinese and Portuguese cultures in the region. He ensured that Macau will enhance its role as a “precise interlocutor” between China and PSCs and make full use of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Forum Macao) mechanism, with the aim of further improving Sino-Portuguese relations and achieving reciprocal benefits at a higher level.
In turn, Aguiar-Branco considered this visit to China significant, as it demonstrates the high importance the Portuguese Republic attaches to the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Portugal. The statement quoted him as saying that both countries hope to continue making joint contributions to promote friendly Sino-Portuguese cooperation, based on a solid foundation of mutual trust and support.
He added that the “One Country, Two Systems” principle has been successfully implemented in the MSAR, achieving remarkable results, and acknowledged Macau’s efforts in safeguarding cultural diversity. He stressed that Portugal’s position on the one-China policy is unequivocal in its foreign policy, and pledged continued support for Macau in enhancing its function as a bridge and link, contributing to the continuous deepening of cooperation between China, PSCs, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. He expressed his hope to further strengthen exchange and cooperation between China and Portugal through the Macau platform to face international uncertainties together. Furthermore, he welcomed the upcoming visit of the MSAR government delegation to Portugal as it will contribute to further raising the level of bilateral cooperation.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (right) shakes hands with the president of Portugal’s Assembly of the Republic (parliament), José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, at Government Headquarters in Nam Van on Friday. – Photo: GCS
