The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today called for further Macao participation in the country’s strategy of promoting deeper national reform and introducing new opening-up policies, under the principle of “serving the country’s needs, delivering Macao’s strengths”.

Mr Chui said the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government would work towards fully acknowledging Macao’s positioning in China’s new era of reform and opening up, in order to develop innovative ideas to integrate Macao further with the overall national development.

Mr Chui’s comments were made during a speech this morning at a reception – held at the Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre – to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao SAR.

In the year ahead, the Macao SAR Government would work together with the general public, namely to promote further understanding and implementation of the four aspirations for Macao, and their respective spirit, outlined by President Xi Jinping. President Xi outlined these aspirations in an important speech delivered when he received delegations respectively from Hong Kong and Macao in November.

President Xi’s four aspirations for Macao were: play a more active role in the nation’s reform and opening up process; diligently integrate its development with the country’s overall progress; make greater contributions to the country’s governance system; and facilitate people-to-people exchanges at an international level.

According to Mr Chui, these four aspirations fully showed that Macao was valued and trusted by the Central Government. In addition, these four aspirations gave Macao a clear direction for its long-term development, he added.

In his speech, Mr Chui also reviewed Macao’s ongoing efforts in relation to aligning the SAR with the country’s overall progress, and Macao’s involvement in the country’s major strategic development initiatives.

Mr Chui mentioned the signing with the National Development and Reform Commission of an agreement on the arrangements for Macao to fully participate in and support the development of the “Belt and Road” initiative. Such agreement had provided Macao with a clear direction for its “Belt and Road” engagement.

The Macao SAR Government also set up the Working Committee for the Development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, in order to implement the guidelines laid out by a Central Government’s leading group for development of the city cluster initiative.

Mr Chui stressed that the Macao SAR Government would continue to enhance communication with ministries of the Central Government, and with the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong. It would also strive to enable Macao people to enjoy a sense of achievement through their engagement in the development of the Greater Bay Area.

The year of 2019 would mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao SAR and would see a change of administration in the SAR, Mr Chui noted. The Macao SAR Government would strive to create a harmonious social environment, and make good arrangements – according to the law – for the Chief Executive Election, he added.

Approximately 910 guests attended today’s reception. They included: Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr Ho Hau Wah; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Mr Yao Jian; the Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Mr Shen Beili; the Political Commissar of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Macao Garrison, Mr Zhou Wugang; the President of the Legislative Assembly, Mr Ho Iat Seng; the President of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Sam Hou Fai; members of the Executive Council and of the Legislative Assembly; Government principal officials; Macao’s delegates to the National People’s Congress and to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and people from different sectors of the community.

Also in the morning, prior to the reception, more than 350 guests attended a flag raising ceremony at the Golden Lotus Square in celebration of the 19th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao SAR.