Although Macau is not a big place, it has an “important and unique position” in the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle, apart from having many other highlights, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council Director Zhang Xiaoming says.
Zhang made the remarks during a press briefing on the sidelines of the current annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday. His remarks have been released on the Chinese-language website of the office. His remarks came in response to a question by a reporter from Shenzhen, who asked Zhang what his evaluation of Macau’s implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle since its return to the motherland nearly 20 years ago was.
Zhang said that the 20th anniversary celebration on December 20 was a “great event” not only for Macau but also a “major and happy event” for the whole nation.
Zhang, a member of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), underlined that since its return to the motherland in December 1999 Macau has enjoyed one of the fastest economic growth rates in the world, and its per capita GDP is
now one of the world’s highest.
now one of the world’s highest.
According to Zhang, Macau’s per capita GDP now ranks second in the world, behind Luxembourg.
Zhang, 55, also pointed out that Macau residents enjoy a “very high” life happiness index. He also stressed that Macau’s unemployment rate of 1.8 percent practically amounts to full employment.
Zhang, a former director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong, also pointed out that Macau provides a wide range of free medical care and has been rated as a “Pacific model” by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Zhang also pointed out that Macau has one of the highest life expectancies in the world and that it is a very popular tourist destination that receives, on average, 100,000 visitors every day. He also underlined Macau’s importance as a culinary tourism destination and its official status as a UNESCO-recognised Creative City of Gastronomy. He indicated that Macau’s rich
might have something to do with its residents’ high degree of happiness.Zhang stressed that Macau’s public security situation has “fundamentally improved” since its return to the motherland, pointing out that in the four years before the 1999 change in administration Macau’s “underworld activities were rather rampant”, apart from negative economic growth, a high unemployment rate, and an unsafe law and order situation.
National sovereignty
Zhang praised Macau people and their government for “resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty” and the nation’s security
and development interests. He also praised Macau for having legislated on Article 23 of the Macau Basic Law “as early as in 2009”. Hong Kong still has to legislate on Article 23, which concerns state security.
Zhang Xiaoming, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council, addresses a press conference after the second plenary meeting of the second session of the 13th National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday. – Xinhua
