The Government will press ahead on Guangzhou-Macao co-operation over the pilot schemes under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and development of free trade in Nansha district, the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said today.

The pilot schemes in Nansha include facilitated travel for pleasure crafts, construction of a cruise terminal, a training base for tourism and development of cultural and creative industries.

Leading a delegation to Hainian province in advance of tomorrow’s opening of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2015, Mr Chui had met with the Secretary of the Guangzhou Communist Party of China Municipal Committee, Mr Ren Xuefeng.

The Government is pleased to share its experience in service industries and to work closely with the Guangzhou government in exploring more opportunities in the Portuguese-speaking countries, he said.

Under the country’s development blueprint, the Government would join hands with the Guangdong government in more innovative structural reforms.

Mr Chui thanked the Central Government for enabling Macao to participate in projects in the free trade zone in Guangdong, which comprises two sections – Hengqin in Zhuhai and Nansha in Guangzhou.

Mr Chui said he was pleased to meet with Mr Ren at the Forum, to explore more co-operation opportunities with Guangzhou.

Mr Ren said he hoped co-operation in tourism would be strengthened through the development of free trade zone and Macao’s commercial and trade co-operation service platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, adding that Macao’s position in tourism was irreplaceable.

Officials who also attended the meeting were Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office Ms O Lam, Director of the Government Information Bureau Mr Chan Chi Ping, Director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office Mr Fung Sio Weng; Member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-general of the CPC Guangzhou Provincial Committee Mr Chen Guo, Vice Mayor Mr Luo Weifeng, Director General of the Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of Guangzhou Municipality Mr Xiao Zhenyu, and Director General of Foreign Affairs Office of Guangzhou Mr Liu Baochun.