MACAU, January 9 - Guangdong-Macao cooperation will proceed from the overall national development strategy, while leveraging the advantages of the “One country, two systems” principle, and will integrate the quality resources of Guangdong and Macao at a deeper level, ensuring fruitful cooperation as a result.
The Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference 2025 was held today in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, and was co-chaired by the Chief Executive of the Macao Special
Administrative Region (MSAR), Mr Sam Hou Fai, and the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Wang Weizhong.This year’s meeting was themed around: studying and implementing the important speeches and instructions of President Xi Jinping; pragmatically promoting multi-field cooperation between Guangdong and Macao; and comprehensively advancing the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in its new phase.
Also taking part in the meeting were: Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Deputy Director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, and Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the MSAR, Mr Zheng Xincong; and Deputy Director of the Third Bureau of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, Mr Wang Jinyu.
At the meeting, the representatives of Guangdong and Macao affirmed that significant phased achievements have been made in the construction of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and that the development work of the Greater Bay Area is being steadily advanced, all under the joint efforts of the governments of Guangdong and of Macao.
Mr Sam shared two points regarding his understanding of President Xi’s series of important speeches.
The first was that Guangdong-Macao cooperation has, over the 25 years since Macao’s return to the motherland, significantly contributed to the successful practise of the “One country, two systems” principle in Macao.
Guangdong Province had provided substantial support and assistance to Macao in areas such as ensuring supply of food to the city, as well as secure supplies of water and electricity. Guangdong had also helped Macao to enhance the convenience of customs clearance procedures, promote cross-boundary trade settlement in renminbi, and foster industrial integration, enabling Macao to press ahead with its appropriate economic diversification effort. Macao's development is inseparable from the close care and guidance shown to the MSAR by the Central Government, as well as the strong support from the mainland’s provinces and cities, particularly Guangdong Province.
The second point shared by Mr Sam was the need to study and implement President Xi's series of important speeches for enhancing Guangdong-Macao cooperation. The spirit of President Xi's series of important speeches has established a new orientation and beacon for Guangdong and Macao. Building upon available foundations of cooperation, the two sides should strive to elevate to a new level pragmatic cooperation in multiple fields, jointly making a greater contribution toward building a great country and to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Governor Wang said the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President, Mr Xi, had inspected Macao, Guangdong, and the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin on the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland – a significant time in history – and made a series of important speeches and given instructions, paving the way for a new high-quality development phase of the “One country, two systems” principle. General Secretary Xi also provided a clear direction for supporting Macao's integration into the national development plan, and outlined the blueprint for greater cooperation between Guangdong and Macao.
Guangdong would earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi's important speeches and directives, and would comprehensively and steadfastly adhere to the “One country, two systems” principle. It would also continue to deepen Guangdong-Macao cooperation, jointly promote the construction of the Greater Bay Area, and fully support Macao in maintaining its long-term prosperity and stability, and its better integration into the national development plan.
Governor Wang said Guangdong and Macao should bear in mind that the original intention of developing Hengqin was for the appropriate diversification of Macao’s economy. The “Macao + Hengqin” new positioning would be significant in the second phase of development of the Cooperation Zone.
It was necessary to strengthen regulatory and institutional alignment, optimise the “Northbound Travel for Macao Vehicles” policy, promote mutual connectivity in financial markets, enhance cooperation in legal affairs, and jointly build the Greater Bay Area into a high-level talent hub.
Mr Wang said it was necessary to leverage respective unique advantages, leading the development of new productive forces in the Greater Bay Area. This was in terms of technological innovation cooperation, and by continuously enhancing and deepening cooperation in areas such as cultural affairs, tourism, investment, trade, exhibitions, sports, traditional Chinese medicine, and social affairs. He said there should be effort to: elevate the level of administrative service cooperation; improve cross-boundary medical cooperation mechanisms; support youth exchanges and interactions between Guangdong and Macao; jointly strengthen ecological and environmental protection; and continuously enhance the well-being of the people in the two places.
Speaking in the meeting, Director Zheng stated that the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference 2025, held at such a crucial time, was a concrete measure taken by both parties to implement General Secretary Xi's series of important speeches. The meeting carried great significance in terms of a specific deployment by Guangdong and Macao of measures to join hands and advance together courageously to shoulder the significant mission of serving the country. The meeting also carried great significance in terms of a systematic promotion of the way the two parties complement each other's advantages in pursuit of high-quality development.
The Liaison Office would earnestly implement the spirit of the series of important speeches made by General Secretary Xi. It would actively play a role in liaison and coordination, providing comprehensive services to deepen Guangdong-Macao cooperation. The office would support the high-quality cooperative development of the two places, making further contributions as a whole to the Greater Bay Area, to the building of a great country, and to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
During the meeting, representatives from Guangdong and Macao had in-depth discussions on several key topics, including: focusing on the new positioning of “Macao + Hengqin”; deepening Guangdong-Macao science and technology cooperation; strengthening ‘soft’ connectivity between Guangdong and Macao; collaborating to build a high-level talent hub; advancing legal framework development in the Greater Bay Area; and deepening healthcare cooperation.
During the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference 2025, the Chief Executive, Mr Sam, and the Governor of Guangdong, Mr Wang, witnessed the signing of five agreements. They were: the legal cooperation arrangement between the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province and the Secretariat for Administration and Justice of the MSAR Government; the memorandum between administrative departments of Zhuhai and Macao regarding “hospital to hospital” point-to-point cross-boundary transfer; the cooperation memorandum between the Market Supervision Administration of Guangdong Province and the Legal Affairs Bureau of the MSAR Government; the cooperation memorandum between Gongbei Customs and the Municipal Affairs Bureau of the MSAR Government on the inspection and quarantine supervision of imported foreign fruits; and the cooperation agreement between the Market Supervision Administration of Guangdong Province and the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute of the MSAR Government.
Macao officials attending the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Joint Conference 2025 were: the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Mr Cheong Weng Chon; the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Tai Kin Ip; the Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak; the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms O Lam; the Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service, Mr Leong Man Cheong; and the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Chan Kak.
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