The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, today attended the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), where he listened attentively to the Government Work Report delivered by Premier Li Qiang, and studied the report’s key messages and major policy directions.
The fourth session, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, includes on its agenda a review of the draft outline of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan.
Mr Sam stressed that 2026 was the first year to achieve the goals set out in the 15th Five-Year Plan, and this year’s “Two Sessions” held profound significance. The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government will fully implement the spirit of the “Two Sessions” in its policy work, firmly seize the historic opportunities presented by national strategies, resolutely integrate into and serve the overall development of the country, and strive to write a new chapter in the successful practising of the “One country, two systems” principle.
Premier Li mentioned in the Government Work Report that the Central Government would continue fully and accurately to implement in a steadfast manner the “One country, two systems” principle; “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong”, “Macao people governing Macao”; the principle of a high degree of autonomy for the two SARs; the adherence to law-based governance in Hong Kong and Macao; and the implementation of the “patriots governing Hong Kong” principle, and the “patriots governing Macao” principle.
The Central Government will support Hong Kong and Macao to enhance the effectiveness of their respective law-based governance, and promote their economic and social development. The Central Government will support Hong Kong and Macao in better integrating into and serving national development, leveraging their unique strengths as SARs that are deeply rooted in the motherland and well-connected to the world, thus promoting their long-term prosperity and stability.
Mr Sam stated that the Central Government has always attached great importance to Macao’s long-term prosperity, stability, and sustainable development, consistently offering to the MSAR care and strong support. This support has provided a fundamental safeguard for Macao in addressing risks and challenges, advancing appropriate economic diversification and high-quality development, and improving people’s livelihoods. On behalf of the MSAR Government and all its residents, Mr Sam expressed the highest respect and sincerest gratitude to the Central Government for its support.
The Chief Executive noted that the draft of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan included – as in previous plans – a chapter dedicated to the promotion of the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao. This built upon the valuable experience and positive outcomes of the 14th Five-Year Plan. The existence of the chapter outlines comprehensive arrangements to support the two SARs in consolidating and enhancing their competitive advantages and better integrating into the national development framework.
Those arrangements in the 15th Five-Year Plan include: proposed further support for Macao’s economic diversification; advancement of Macao’s development as “One Centre, One Platform, One Base” and “One Highland”; the strengthening of Macao’s competitiveness in fields such as traditional Chinese medicine and the “Big Health” industry; modern financial services; high and new technology; and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions), sports, commerce and trade.
The plan also suggested: enhancing cooperation between Macao and the Chinese mainland in trade, science and technology, and cultural exchange. It also proposed: improving policies to facilitate Macao residents’ development and daily life on the Chinese mainland; deepening Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation and Macao-Hengqin integration; and advancing major infrastructure projects such as the Guangzhou–Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway, the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) City, and the Macau International Airport Hengqin Upstream Cargo Terminal.
The draft of the 15th Five-Year Plan mentioned supporting mechanisms for Macao to play a greater role in the country’s opening-up, and leveraging Macao as an important window for cultural exchange and mutual learning between the Chinese civilisation and Western civilisations.
Mr Sam underlined that integrating into and serving the national development agenda is the fundamental foundation for Macao’s sustainable development and an essential requirement for the steady and long-term success of the “One country, two systems” principle.
The year 2026 marked the launch of the formulation and implementation of the Third Five-Year Plan for the Social and Economic Development of the MSAR, noted Mr Sam. To proactively align with the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan – particularly the sections concerning Macao – the MSAR Government will adopt a broader vision, higher strategic positioning, and more practical measures, in order scientifically to formulate a five-year blueprint for the future. It will fully leverage the institutional strengths of the “One country, two systems” principle, and Macao’s unique cultural blend of East and West, focus closely on its strategic positioning, and comprehensively enhance the city’s overall competitiveness.
The MSAR Government will actively participate in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the high-quality advancement of the “Belt and Road” initiative; deepen synergistic development with the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; further broaden and deepen appropriate economic diversification; and accelerate the development of key industries such as modern finance, traditional Chinese medicine and Big Health, technological innovation, MICE, and cultural tourism. It will promote industrial upgrading and urban transformation, and advance to a new level all the undertakings relating to Macao’s development.
The MSAR Government is confident in its future policy direction, stated Mr Sam. Over the past year, under the strong leadership of the Central Government, the current-term MSAR Government worked in unity with all sectors of Macao society to advance steadily its policy agenda. The first year of the administration’s governance had seen a stable start, innovative breakthroughs, and notable achievements, laying a solid foundation for future work, he added.
The Chief Executive particularly thanked Macao’s deputies to the NPC and the Macao members of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, for their long-standing dedication, advice, and contributions to national development and to Macao’s governance. As key pillars of “patriots administering Macao”, they serve as vital bridges between Macao and the highest levels of national governance. Mr Sam expressed hope that they will continue strongly to support the MSAR Government’s law-based governance, and jointly help Macao play a greater role within the national development framework.
Looking ahead, Mr Sam said that Macao will continue to uphold the principle of “one country” while fully utilising the advantages of the “two systems”. The MSAR will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests; accelerate improvements in governance effectiveness; promote appropriate economic diversification; build social consensus and unite all sectors so they can move forward together.
On this new journey of the new era, the MSAR is confident and capable of seizing the various opportunities brought by national development, creating an even more prosperous and stable future, and writing a new chapter in the successful practising in Macao of the “One country, two systems” principle, said Mr Sam.
