The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, today said he hoped the Macao Chamber of Commerce will continue to leverage its unique strengths and role as a bridge, uniting the broader business community in order better to integrate into, and serve, the country’s development agenda.
He called on the Chamber to offer advice and recommendations for Macao’s long-term development and the nation’s prosperity, to build consensus, deliver tangible results, and make further contributions.
At a Spring Festival gathering hosted by the Chamber, the Chief Executive raised with Macao’s business sector five key expectations.
First, is the need to be a steadfast supporter of the “One country, two systems” principle. Mr Sam hoped the Chamber will continue to uphold the core values of patriotism for the country and love for Macao, support the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government in governing in accordance with the law, and closely align its development with Macao’s prosperity and the nation’s rejuvenation. Together, the Chamber and the MSAR Government should safeguard national security and social stability, contributing further strength to ensuring the steady and long-term success of the “One country, two systems” principle.
The second expectation is for the business community to be a driving force for Macao’s appropriate economic diversification. Mr Sam urged the local business community to strengthen its sense of responsibility, promote the entrepreneurial spirit, seize policy opportunities, and actively adapt to change. By deeply engaging in national development strategies and the implementation of Macao’s Third Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development, the business community should jointly advance the high-quality development of Macao’s “1+4” diversified industries. The Chief Executive also called on the Chamber to continue to serve as a bridge, creating more platforms to support the development of Macao as “One Centre, One Platform, One Base”, and “One Highland”.
The third expectation Mr Sam shared with the Chamber, is the need for the business community to be a pioneer in the development of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. He urged the business sector to embrace the new positioning of “Macao + Hengqin”; proactively plan and invest in the integrated development of Macao and Hengqin; channel quality resources to its development; and support the establishment and clustering of high-quality enterprises. Through concrete actions, the business sector can help open up broader development prospects for Macao, and contribute to building a higher-level platform for the country’s opening-up.
The fourth expectation is the need for the business community to be a ‘builder’ of social harmony. Mr Sam called on the Chamber to continue promoting the spirit of inclusiveness, collaboration, and consultation, uphold a sense of the bigger picture, jointly maintain harmonious and stable labour-management relations, actively fulfil its social responsibilities, and foster a fair and orderly market environment.
The fifth expectation is the need for the business community to be a mentor and guide for young people in their career development. He hoped the business sector would work to create opportunities for the younger generation, enhance young people’s horizons and competitiveness through diverse pathways, and join the MSAR Government in fostering an innovative and entrepreneurial environment that encouraged young people to dare to explore, experiment, and act. This would allow young people to pursue their aspirations and build careers not only in Macao, but also in Hengqin and the wider Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
In his address, the Chief Executive expressed gratitude to the Chamber and the wider business community for showing long-standing care and support for the work of the MSAR Government. He noted that over the past year, Macao’s economy and society had achieved steady recovery and growth, with accelerated progress in economic diversification. The Cooperation Zone in Hengqin has made fresh advances, and integration between Macao and Hengqin has deepened. These achievements have been made possible through the active support and joint efforts of all sectors of society, including the business community.
During Mr Sam’s duty-report visit to Beijing in December last year, President Xi Jinping had fully affirmed the work done by the MSAR Government over the past year, and provided important guidance. The MSAR Government will proactively align with the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan and formulate and implement Macao’s Third Five-Year Plan with concrete and practical measures, Mr Sam said.
