The Administrative Committee of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin held its ninth meeting today. It studied the important speeches and directives by President Xi Jinping at the time of his inspection of Guangdong and Macao, and of the Cooperation Zone.

Today’s meeting was held at the Cooperation Zone and was co-chaired by: Director of the Cooperation Zone’s Administrative Committee and Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), Mr Sam Hou Fai; and Director of the Cooperation Zone’s Administrative Committee and Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Wang Weizhong.

The meeting also reviewed the 2025 work report of the Cooperation Zone’s Executive Committee, and the annual report on key tasks. The meeting also reviewed the execution of the 2024 budget and a draft of the 2025 budget, the 2025 governmental investment project plan for the Cooperation Zone, and the industrial development plan of the Cooperation Zone (2025-2029).

At the meeting, Mr Sam noted various work within the Cooperation Zone that had made positive progress over the past three years, with the integration level between Hengqin and Macao gradually increasing, therefore increasing support for Macao’s appropriate economic diversification. During the meeting, both sides studied President Xi’s important directives, further clarifying the work plan for the second phase of the Cooperation Zone. Mr Sam stressed the need to focus especially on the key tasks to be carried out this year, to consolidate consensus between Guangdong and Macao, and to ensure the successful implementation of the work in Hengqin.

The Chief Executive also proposed four aspirations for the next stage of development in the Cooperation Zone:

First, the need thoroughly to study and adhere to President Xi’s important proposition of “Macao + Hengqin”, comprehensively understand its rich connotations and practical requirements, and strive to create a new situation in the construction of the Cooperation Zone;

Second, to intensify efforts at reform and innovation, be more bold and proactive in policy innovation, work on alignment of rules and on the integration mechanism, to overcome the deep-seated constraints hindering Hengqin’s development;

Third, further enhance work-style development, promote diligence and use of initiative, cultivate a pragmatic and proactive work ethos, and foster a working atmosphere of unity and progress; and

Fourth, increase support from the Macao side in terms of close coordination between Hengqin and Macao, and jointly advance various aspects of the Cooperation Zone to achieve breakthroughs.

The MSAR Government has established a leading group for the construction of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, with a view to increasing support for the Cooperation Zone in various aspects such as policy, law, personnel, and resource allocation, said Mr Sam.

In the future, specific measures would be introduced concerning industry, people’s livelihoods, legal revisions, policy coordination between Hengqin and Macao, and encouragement for increased use of Macao capital for investment in Cooperation Zone projects, stated Mr Sam. All the aspirations aimed at showcasing new momentum for new breakthroughs in the development of the Cooperation Zone.

In today’s meeting, Governor Wang said that during President Xi’s inspection of Hengqin, he fully affirmed the positive progress made in various aspects of the Cooperation Zone, and provided a new positioning for “Macao + Hengqin”. President Xi clearly outlined the “three key-points” and “three have-nots” assessment criteria to evaluate effectiveness of the development and construction of the Cooperation Zone. They provided direction for advancing the construction of the Cooperation Zone at a new starting point, and offered fundamental guidance.

This year marked the beginning of the second phase of construction in the Cooperation Zone, noted Mr Wang. It was crucial to study and adhere to the important speeches and directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping, remembering that the original intention of developing Hengqin is to support Macao’s appropriate economic diversification, he added.

It was necessary to focus on the new positioning of “Macao + Hengqin”, said Mr Wang. He called for further effort to implement the tasks and goals of the second phase; promote the Cooperation Zone’s construction as a way to achieve greater results; better support the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; and serve the practising of the “One country, two systems” principle in the new era.

Greater effort should be made to develop the “four new” industries, Governor Wang said. He stressed the need to advance the construction of industrial platforms such as the Guangdong-Macao Integrated Circuit Design Industrial Park; the Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Industrial Park of Co-operation between Guangdong and Macao; the Cross-boundary E-commerce Industrial Park; and the Hengqin-Macao Innovation Industrial Park.

It was essential to strengthen the promotion of preferential policies; enhance industrial project planning and introduction; attract people with various innovation-related talents; pool more Macao capital, enterprises, and people; and continuously increase the popularity and vitality of the Cooperation Zone. Mr Wang said there was a need to continue enhancing the integration level between Hengqin and Macao; advance connection of infrastructure, and integration of rules and mechanisms; and have “heart-to-heart connection” among residents of Hengqin and Macao.

Governor Wang also mentioned the need to: accelerate the construction of major projects; consolidate and expand the results of “specific-tier” customs management; continuously improve public services and social security systems; and establish an institutional system for highly coordinated and deeply integrated economic systems between Hengqin and Macao. In order to strive for a new phase of construction in the second stage of the Cooperation Zone, effort should be put into: bold reform and innovation; ensuring the effective implementation of work tasks according to the annual key work list; operational planning; and timeline adjustment, added Mr Wang.

Officials attending the meeting in the Cooperation Zone included: the Executive Deputy Director of the Cooperation Zone’s Administrative Committee and Secretary for Administration and Justice of the MSAR Government, Mr Cheong Weng Chon; Deputy Director of the Cooperation Zone’s Administrative Committee and Executive Vice Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Zhang Hu; and Deputy Director of the Cooperation Zone’s Administrative Committee and Vice Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Zhang Guozhi. Also attending were: Deputy Director of the Cooperation Zone’s Administrative Committee and Secretary of the Zhuhai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Mr Chen Yong; Deputy Director of the Cooperation Zone’s Administrative Committee and Secretary for Security of the MSAR Government, Mr Wong Sio Chak; and Deputy Director of the Cooperation Zone’s Administrative Committee and Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the MSAR Government, Ms O Lam.