On the first day of his official visit to Malaysia, Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai addressed a reception hosted by the MSAR Government in Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening, where he said that the visit to Malaysia by the MSAR delegation aims to continue the traditional friendship between both sides, further build consensus, and elevate pragmatic cooperation between Macau and Malaysia to a higher level, according to a statement by the Macao Government Information Bureau (GCS) last night.
Sam said that Macau expects to serve as a solid bridge for deepening cooperation between Malaysia and the Chinese mainland, working together to forge a new era of mutual benefit and coordinated development.
Sam departed from Macau on Saturday last week for an eight-day working visit to three Southeast Asian countries – Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. He is leading a delegation comprising local officials and about 120 business representatives on his visit to the three countries.
Sam’s delegation arrived in Kuala Lumpur from Jakarta on Wednesday night. They are scheduled to return to Macau tomorrow.
Yesterday’s reception was attended by about 350 people, including officials and business representatives of the MSAR delegation visiting Malaysia, representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia, and members from various segments of Malaysia’s civil society.
In his speech, Sam noted that China and Malaysia are close regional neighbours with longstanding friendship and sincere partners moving forward together. In April 2025, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Malaysia, where both sides jointly announced the building of a high-level, strategic China-Malaysia community with a shared future, ushering in a new “Golden 50 Years” for bilateral relations, Sam noted, adding that this has injected strong impetus into regional peace, prosperity, and development, while bringing new opportunities for Macau to deepen its cooperation with Malaysia.
Sam pointed out that both Macau and Malaysia are vital nodes along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road – the second component of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), sharing close cultural affinity and frequent people-to-people exchanges. Thanks to mutual visa exemptions and direct flights, cooperation between the two sides has yielded fruitful results in trade, investment, tourism, conventions and exhibitions, and education, he said.
Malaysia is not only an important trade partner and source of international tourists for Macau, but both sides also demonstrate immense potential for cooperation in cultural exchanges, educational partnerships, and the promotion of Muslim-friendly tourism, Sam said.
Sam noted that the MSAR Government started implementing Macau’s 3rd Five-Year Plan last month, outlining Macau’s commitment to closely aligning with national strategies, consolidating and enhancing its competitive advantages, and better integrating into the nation’s overall development.
Sam noted that Malaysia also released its 13th Malaysia Plan last year, outlining its development blueprint for the next five years. Macau is keen to strengthen the alignment of macro planning with Malaysia, deepening pragmatic cooperation in sectors such as tourism, conventions and exhibitions, the digital economy, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), green energy, and cross-border e-commerce, he said.
Sam said he welcomes those in Malaysia to visit Macau for a tour, investment and business, or holiday, expecting Malaysian businesses to seize new opportunities in China’s booming market and establish operations in Macau and Hengqin.
Also addressing the reception, Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Tiong King Sing said that Malaysia holds an important place within ASEAN, which has experienced sustained economic growth in recent years, making the regional market increasingly valued by international enterprises.
ASEAN is the abbreviation of the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is headquartered in Jakarta.
Tiong noted that Macau is part of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), which boasts a vast consumer market, robust capital, and strong innovation capabilities. He suggested that Malaysia and Macau can better connect their respective networks, allowing businesses to see broader development opportunities between ASEAN and the GBA.
Tiong noted that in tourism cooperation, Malaysia and Macau can continuously promote exchanges and jointly develop tourism products. Industry players on both sides can thoroughly study the market, including travel itineraries, joint promotions, and more convenient air connections, he said.
Tiong said that an increase in visitor arrivals will benefit not only the tourism sector, but also restaurants, retailers, MICE, and local economies. Education is similarly worthy of long-term commitment, he said, adding that the friendships and mutual understanding forged through youth and student exchange programmes will serve as the most natural and solid foundation for future Macau-Malaysia ties.
Sam meets with Malaysia’s trade deputy minister
Meanwhile, according to a separate GCS statement, Sam met with Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Sim Tze Tzin yesterday afternoon. The meeting was also attended by about 20 business representatives from Macau, Hengqin, and other places in the Chinese mainland.
Sam noted that Malaysia is a key ASEAN economy and one of Macau’s most important trade and economic partners in the region, ranking first in bilateral trade volume among ASEAN countries last year. He said that two-way investment between Macau and Malaysia continues to grow, expecting both sides to create a more favourable environment for bilateral economic exchanges and investment cooperation.
Sam noted that both the 13th Malaysia Plan and the MSAR’s 3rd Five-Year Plan start their implementation this year, which will bring new opportunities for synergistic development and unlock fresh scope for cooperation across various fields, including trade and investment.
Sam said he expects Macau enterprises to strengthen connections with Malaysian Halal certification bodies and industry associations, leveraging Malaysia’s strategic location within ASEAN, alongside its mature regional industrial and supply chains, to expand into the Halal product markets of Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
During the meeting, Sim noted that the MSAR continues to advance its economic transformation and upgrading, aligning closely with Malaysia’s development vision. Macau’s commitment to promoting appropriate economic diversification, with an emphasis on developing the “1+4” key industries, accords with Malaysia’s own industrial trajectory, Sim said.
The Macau government’s 1+4 model aims to consolidate and diversify the development of the city’s tourism and leisure industry, i.e., the “1” element, while putting special emphasis on promoting the development of four new key industries, i.e., the “4” elements, namely (+1) big health mainly driven by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), (+2) modern finance, (+3) high-tech, and (+4) MICE and commerce as well as culture and sport.
Sim said that while historically trade-focused, Malaysia is gradually transitioning towards high-tech, high-productivity manufacturing, alongside new developments in midstream and downstream agriculture, aerospace, and medical devices – all areas where enhanced international cooperation is sought.
Sim said that Malaysia boasts world-class ports, sound infrastructure, and seamless trade corridors. Building on these foundations, Malaysia and Macau can further strengthen trade and economic ties to uncover more potential collaborative opportunities, he said.
Dignitaries offer a toast during yesterday’s reception hosted by the MSAR Government in Kuala Lumpur comprising (from left to right) Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing, Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Tiong King Sing, Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Sim Tze Tzin, and Secretary for Economy and Finance Dora Ng Wai Han. – Photo: GCS
