The Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, on behalf of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government, has pledged firm support for the central authorities’ decision to establish a new Hong Kong and Macao work office under the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

The CPC Central Committee and the State Council recently released a plan on the reform of the CPC and state institutions. According to the plan, a Hong Kong and Macao work office of the CPC Central Committee would be formed on the basis of the existing Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.

The new office would be responsible for undertaking research, overall coordination, and supervision on the following topics: implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle; adherence to the central authorities’ overall jurisdiction; rule of law in Hong Kong and Macao; protection of people’s livelihoods and well-being; and support to help Hong Kong and Macao integrate into overall national development.

Such reform would help strengthen the central authorities’ centralised and unified leadership over Hong Kong and Macao work, fully illustrating the central authorities’ firm adherence to the “One country, two systems” principle, and which would effectively ensure the long-term and steady progress of the principle, noted Mr Ho.

The Chief Executive expressed his appreciation to the central authorities for their great attention to, and care for, matters relating to the implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle in Hong Kong and in Macao. 

Mr Ho noted that President Xi Jinping had stressed the long-term prosperity and stability of the Hong Kong SAR and the MSAR were indispensable to the building up of China as a great country. The central authorities would fully, faithfully, and resolutely implement the “One country, two systems” principle, “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong”, “Macao people governing Macao”, and the principle of a high degree of autonomy for the two SARs. The central authorities would remain committed to law-based governance in the two SARs, supporting them in the growth of their economies, and assisting their steps towards improvement of people's lives, so that both places could better integrate themselves into the overall development of the country.

The Chief Executive stated that the adjustment and optimisation in the relevant system would help strengthen the central authorities’ centralised and unified leadership over Hong Kong and Macao work, which would ensure the full and resolute implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle. The optimisation in the system of work management also created favourable conditions for: the guarantee of the central authorities’ overall jurisdiction while protecting the principle of a high-degree of autonomy in the two SARs; the implementation of the “patriots governing Macao” principle; and the adherence to law-based governance in Macao. The optimisation of the work system would also help in terms of: the further utilisation of Macao’s strengths and advantages; support for Macao to develop its economy, and enhance people’s livelihoods and well-being; the resolution of deep-rooted issues in the community; and the construction of a broader united front at home and abroad to support “One country, two systems”.

The reform in the institutions managing Hong Kong and Macao work would definitively make the implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle better, and enhance the principle’s role in realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Under the leadership, and with support of, the central authorities, the MSAR Government would: fully, accurately, and unswervingly implement the “One country, two systems” principle; work in compliance with the strategic deployment outlined in the 20th CPC National Congress and the “Two Sessions”; and strive to ensure the long-term prosperity and stability of Macao’s economy and society. All these steps would contribute to the successful and long-term implementation of the “One country, two systems” principle with Macao characteristics.