The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, delivered at the Legislative Assembly this afternoon the 2026 Policy Address, titled “Accelerate Reforms and Efficiency with Keen Determination; Overcome Challenges and Promote Diversification with Fortified Efforts”. The Government will strive to deepen public administration reform, facilitate economic diversification, improve people's livelihoods, and integrate into the overall development of the country in the coming year.
The 15th Five-year Plan provides ample room for development and significant historical opportunities for Macao's appropriate economic diversification and improvement of people's livelihoods. It also injects fresh impetus into Macao and further clarifies the goals and directions for Macao to maintain long-term prosperity and stability and achieve better development, according to the Chief Executive.
Macao is currently in a transitional period from recovery-driven growth to high-quality development, with its economy showing a steady and positive trend. Mr Sam said that Macao would thoroughly implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important speeches during his inspection of the region, seize the tremendous opportunities presented by the "One Country, Two Systems" principle in the new era, take a forward-looking perspective and forge ahead with determination. The Government would focus on deepening public administration reform and promoting appropriate economic diversification as its two main tasks, while continuously improving governance efficiency, he said.
The major objectives outlined in the 2026 Policy Address include: continuous economic recovery; substantial progress in appropriate economic diversification; maintaining positive GDP growth; further improvement of the business environment; continuous enhancement of economic vitality; new progress in the construction of the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; further strengthening the integration of Macao and Hengqin; effective protection of local employment; optimisation of livelihood measures; solid support for vulnerable groups; deepening administrative and legal reforms; improvement in governance efficiency; firmly safeguarding national security; and sustaining social harmony and stability.
In 2026, the Government's policy priorities include the following nine areas:
1. Building a strong line of defence to safeguard national security and maintain social stability
The Government will improve the legal system for safeguarding national security, and initiate the drafting of the "Macao Special Administrative Region Committee for Safeguarding National Security" law and the revision of supporting regulations in due course. Legislative work on the prevention, investigation, and deterrence of terrorist acts will be moved forward, and a public consultation on the bill is slated by 2026. The Government will continue to improve the Civil Protection Master Plan and various special contingency plans, and continue to promote the construction of the "Sky Eye" surveillance system. The Government will consolidate the foundation of patriotism and love for Macao, continue to strengthen the linkage and cooperation mechanism with patriotic social organisations, mobilise all available forces, optimise the existing laws on social organisations, and guide the development of social organisations. The Government will establish a leading group for patriotic education for youngsters and formulate an overall plan for national security education for all citizens.
2. Deepening public administration reform and enhancing governance efficiency
The Government will focus on the overall goal of enhancing governance efficiency, fully leverage the leadership and coordination mechanism for public administration reform, and uphold the principle of "discussing and handling matters together" regarding Macao affairs to continuously deepen public administration reform. The Government will accelerate the "streamlining administration, delegating power, and improving services" reform. Departmental functions will be re-organised or integrated in accordance with the newly effective government organisational structure regulations. The Government will focus on building a strong civil service, deepening e-government development, and actively expanding cross-boundary government services. The Government will improve the legal system, formulate a mid-term legislative plan for 2027, and implement the annual legislative plan in an orderly manner. The Government will promote the construction of a diversified dispute resolution mechanism for the Greater Bay Area and enhance regional judicial assistance. Judicial personnel training and the positive interaction between the executive and legislative branches will also be strengthened.
3. Fortifying the momentum of economic recovery and endeavouring to promote appropriate economic diversification
The Government will facilitate steady economic recovery, promote tourist consumption in local communities and create distinctive consumer communities and business districts. The Government will encourage SMEs to develop towards specialisation by offering high-quality products and unique characteristics. Through a multi-pronged approach, including increased policy support, financial investment, and optimisation of the business environment, the Government will focus on cultivating new industries with international competitiveness and promoting substantial results in the "1+4" economy. The Government will enhance the legal, healthy, and orderly development of the gaming industry and bolster the development of the integrated tourism and leisure industry. The Government will kickstart the establishment of government-backed industry funds and guidance funds. The development of the traditional Chinese medicine and Big Health industry will be enhanced, the modern financial industry will be optimised, the cultivation of high-tech industries will be accelerated, the competitiveness of the convention and exhibition industry will be improved, and the sustainable development of the cultural and sports industries will be guaranteed. The Government will also accelerate the development of the digital economy and strengthen and investment promotion efforts.
4. Benchmarking the “three key-points” requirement and expediting the construction of Hengqin
To create a benchmark for the integration of Macao and Hengqin, the Government will focus on developing a number of landmark projects and initiatives with significant driving effects. The Government will promote the coordinated development of industries in Macao and Hengqin, jointly building a high-level cultural tourism, convention and exhibition, and trade hub. The Government will innovate the traditional Chinese medicine and Big Health industry chain, jointly developing a new cross-boundary financial paradigm between Macao and Hengqin and jointly cultivating new productive forces. The Government will focus on attracting investment and talent to promote the establishment of "Macao Certified Shops" in the Cooperation Zone and to drive the construction of a high-level talent hub. The Government will promote the integration of people's livelihood and social services in Macao and Hengqin, improve the employment support system for Macao youth, create an education service system similar to Macao's, facilitate medical treatment for Macao residents in the Cooperation Zone, and gradually promote the development of cross-boundary elderly care services. The Government will build a new model of integrated development between Macao and Hengqin, steadily advancing the "hard connectivity" of infrastructure, while continuously deepening the "soft connectivity" of rules and mechanisms. The Government will build an efficient governance structure, selecting more outstanding Macao civil servants to participate in the construction of the Cooperation Zone.
5. Improving people’s welfare systems and making solid efforts to benefit people’s livelihoods
Adhering to the principles of "doing our best, acting within our means, providing precise assistance, and allocating resources to lower levels," the Government will continuously improve and optimise people's livelihoods, effectively respond to residents' demands, and earnestly protect their rights in employment, elderly care, medical care, and education. The Government will implement a series of measures to benefit the people and create a better environment for the growth of young people. The Wealth Partaking Scheme and various tax incentives will be continued.
6. Building a cultural base and promoting mutual learning among civilisations and cultural exchanges
The Government will showcase the charm of Macao as a "City of Culture" by strengthening the protection and revitalisation of cultural heritage and relics. The Government will continuously explore and organise Macao's promising intangible cultural heritage, and create international and academic cultural exchange activities. The Government will solicit and support local performing arts, intangible cultural heritage, and cultural and creative projects to tour or exhibit in the Chinese mainland, ASEAN countries, and the "Belt and Road" region.
7. Optimising urban infrastructure and building a smart and liveable city
The Government will press ahead with infrastructure development, continuously improve urban planning, and optimise spatial layout. The Urban Renewal Legal System will be implemented while the redevelopment of the group of seven buildings in the Iao Hon district and other renewal projects will be expedited. The Government will improve urban infrastructure, strengthen the urban disaster prevention and mitigation system, and enhance emergency response capabilities. The Government will build a modern, beautiful, and liveable Macao by increasing and optimising municipal leisure facilities. The establishment of a carbon reduction benchmark system will be deepened to implement the "dual carbon" targets. The cross-sectoral and cross-departmental urban beautification governance mechanism will be optimised.
8. Achieving high-level opening-up to the outside world and integrating into national development
The Government will actively participate in the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, implement the Key Work Arrangements for the Construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in 2026, explore the establishment of a joint meeting system of the chief executives of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, and coordinate the implementation of key tasks for the construction of the Greater Bay Area. The Government will strengthen infrastructure connectivity, enhance regional tourism cooperation, deepen technological innovation and financial cooperation, support and encourage industries to make full use of the preferential measures of Annex II of the Amendment to the CEPA Agreement on Trade in Services, and promote talent cultivation cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. The Government will strengthen cooperation in the areas of people's livelihood and public services to facilitate residents' work and life in the Greater Bay Area. The Government will leverage and expand the functions of Macao as a platform between China and Portuguese speaking countries, promote the implementation of the outcomes of the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, and deepen cooperation mechanisms with Portuguese-speaking countries. The Government will deepen international economic, trade, and technological exchanges and cooperation, actively participate in and contribute to the "Belt and Road" initiative, and deepen cooperation with provinces and cities in the Chinese mainland. The Government will seize opportunities in deepening regional cooperation and expand space by integrating into overall national development.
9. Formulating the Third Five-year Plan for the MSAR and advocating the implementation of key projects
The Government will draw up the Third Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Macao Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) to implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important speeches and proactively align with the national 15th Five-year Plan and other important plans. The Third Five-year Plan will be compiled based on extensive consultation with various sectors of society and scientific evaluation. Corresponding special plans or implementation plans will be formulated in relevant fields. The construction of four major projects will be actively promoted: the Macao International Education (University) Town, the Macao International Integrated Tourism and Culture Zone, the Macao Pearl River West Bank International Air Transport Hub (Port), and the Macao Science and Technology Research and Development Industrial Park.
