Macao and Zhuhai have signed a further four agreements strengthening bilateral ties, so as to advance the development of a city cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The four agreements signed on Wednesday (26 July) aim to reinforce Macao-Zhuhai cooperation on tourism, sports, cultural exchanges and statistical services. The signing was witnessed by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac, and the Mayor of Zhuhai, Mr Li Zezhong, during the annual Zhuhai-Macao Cooperation Conference held in Macao.

As part of the development of the Greater Bay Area, the bolstering of regional cooperation will become a core aspect of the Macao SAR Government’s work.

Delivering a speech at Wednesday’s meeting, Mr Leong said that under the “Framework Agreement on Deepening Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Cooperation in the Development of the Bay Area”, Macao and Zhuhai would consolidate the respective strengths of the two places, enhancing infrastructure connectivity and coordinating development plans in order to ease travel for people and goods.

Outlining likely future cooperation, Mr Leong said the Macao Government would continue to recommend projects from Macao firms for the Guangdong-Macao Co-operation Industrial Park, at Hengqin in Zhuhai Prefecture.

In order to promote the commercial activities of the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Industrial Park in Hengqin – currently under-construction – it was also announced that Portugal and Mozambique would host pilot schemes regarding international registration of traditional Chinese medicine products.

Mr Leong said the Government looked forward to exploring further cooperation with Zhuhai regarding: the MICE industry (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions); innovation in finance business; boundary crossing facilities; innovation of boundary crossing procedures; innovation, entrepreneurship and employment relating to young people; education; health; and in environmental protection and cultural affairs.

Macao and Zhuhai would jointly explore development opportunities in places covered by the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (collectively known as “Belt and Road” initiative), while Macao – as a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries – would continue to assist Zhuhai to explore opportunities in Portuguese-speaking countries, said the Secretary.

Mr Li stated in his speech that the two places would continue to advance work in several key fields – under policies outlined in the development plan for the Greater Bay Area – in order to strengthen the development of a government-enterprises exchange mechanism, while also optimising the communication mechanism between Zhuhai and Macao.