189 cooperation deals signed
Before returning to Macau on Saturday afternoon from his eight-day working visit to three Southeast Asian countries – Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia, Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai summarised his second overseas trip in his capacity as the chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) during a press briefing in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday morning, where he underlined that his official visit to the three countries has comprehensively strengthened the overall level of cooperation between Macau and them – as well as with ASEAN.
ASEAN is the abbreviation of the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is headquartered in Jakarta.
Sam departed from Macau on August 29 for an eight-day working visit to the three Southeast Asian countries. He was leading a delegation comprising local officials and about 120 business representatives on his visit to the three countries.
They visited Singapore, Jakarta in Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
During the press briefing, according to a statement by the Macao Government Information Bureau (GCS) on Saturday, Sam said that the three-country visit has also promoted Macau’s successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle and the MSAR’s 3rd Five-Year Plan. The visit has bolstered exchanges with the three countries and deepened pragmatic cooperation in fields such as economic and trade, tourism, education, and culture, achieving its intended objectives, he said.
Sam said that the eight-day visit featured a full schedule, rich in content, comprising 37 events. The events included: official meetings; receptions; business promotional events; site visits to local projects; delivering a speech at a university; exchanging views with overseas Chinese leaders and representatives from Chinese chambers of commerce; and organising cultural exhibitions and education-promotion activities.
Sam noted that as part of the visit by the MSAR delegation, he also met with leaders and senior officials from the three countries and the ASEAN Secretariat.
Sam noted that they included Singapore’s Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Malaysia’s Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Anwar Ibrahim, and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.
4 major achievements
Sam said that the visit has made achievements in four major aspects.
First, the visit helped strengthen external exchanges and promote Macau’s successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. Sam underlined that he had taken every opportunity to introduce Macau’s successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle and its 3rd Five-Year Plan to the international community, thereby effectively conveying Macau’s story to the outside world.
Sam noted that this helped demonstrate the strong vitality and unique value of the great institution of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, and it also gave various sectors in the three countries a more comprehensive and objective understanding of Macau’s considerable development achievements since its return to the motherland.
Sam said that he also promoted Macau as an important bridgehead for China’s high-level opening-up, highlighting the city’s unique advantage of being backed by the motherland and connected to the world. During his tour, he invited people in the three countries to share in the development opportunities offered by Macau and Hengqin.
Sam noted that the MSAR delegation also gained a deeper understanding of the three countries’ respective socioeconomic development. He noted that in Singapore, he visited industrial parks, cultural and tourism facilities, urban renewal initiatives, and Housing & Development Board (HDB) public housing projects. These visits have provided valuable insights for the MSAR Government’s work in related areas, he said.
The second major achievement is the deepening of economic and trade cooperation with the three countries and the promotion of Macau’s appropriate economic diversification. While introducing the business environment and development opportunities of Macau and Hengqin to enterprises in the three nations, arrangements were made for business representatives from Macau, Hengqin and other areas in the Chinese mainland accompanying the MSAR delegation to meet and exchange views with senior officials in the economic and trade sectors of Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
370 business-matching sessions
Sam said that the visit included over 370 business-matching sessions and resulted in the signing of 189 cooperation agreements involving government bodies and businesses from the three countries. The agreements covered various sectors, including economy and trade, conventions and exhibitions, high technology, traditional Chinese medicine and big health, halal products, and brand marketing, he said.
The third major achievement is the strengthening of tourism cooperation with Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia, alongside efforts to attract more international visitors to Macau. The three ASEAN countries are important international tourist-source markets that Macau is seeking to expand, Sam said.
During the visit, Sam noted, the delegation also promoted the MSAR’s continuing efforts to develop a Muslim-friendly tourism environment.
The fourth major achievement is the strengthening of cooperation in fields such as education and culture, thus promoting closer people-to-people exchanges. Sam noted that he delivered a speech at the National University of Singapore, and exchanged views with experts, scholars, and students.
Sam said that he also encouraged Singapore’s participation in the development of the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town. Three Macau public universities – namely the University of Macau (UM), the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU), and the Macao University of Tourism (UTM) – and several private universities in Macau signed 16 educational cooperation agreements with several renowned higher education institutions in Singapore and Malaysia, he said.
‘Study in Macao’
Sam noted that Macau’s Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), together with nine Macau higher education institutions, held a “Study in Macao” education fair in Kuala Lumpur to attract students to pursue tertiary education in Macau. The MSAR’s Cultural Affairs Bureau also co-organised an exhibition with the Jakarta Provincial Cultural Service to promote Macau’s cultural heritage, deepening bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the cultural sector.
Sam underlined that the MSAR Government will make every effort to put into practice the various outcomes of the visit, implement each cooperation project in an orderly manner, and undertake the necessary follow-up tasks.
Meanwhile, Sam also noted that Singapore’s public housing policy framework has operated effectively for many years. Since the establishment of the MSAR, the Macau government has continuously drawn lessons from Singapore’s public housing policies, Sam underlined, adding that during his visit to public housing projects in Singapore, he had an opportunity to deepen his understanding of the country’s latest experiences in this field, including measures implemented in response to changes in family circumstances and demographics, as well as the effectiveness of Singapore’s urban renewal initiative.
Regarding cooperation with countries such as Malaysia in the halal-products industry, Sam said that Macau enterprises have dedicated themselves to developing this market segment in recent years. Currently, over 20 Macau enterprises have obtained halal certification, and over 60 products have been awarded halal certificates. Malaysia has a world-leading halal certification system and industrial chain. Business representatives joining the MSAR delegation has established links with Malaysian enterprises to pursue further cooperation in halal-related industries and certification, he said.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai addresses a press briefing in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday summarising his working visit to Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. – Photo: GCS
