In an October 1 speech to start the Golden Week holiday, Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng reaffirmed the SAR’s commitment to the development of Hengqin Island in the nearby city of Zhuhai.
According to the Macao News, Ho said Macau is on board with Beijing’s plan for the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone, and the local government will join with Guangdong Province to achieve the goals of the central authorities.
The general plan, released by Beijing early last month, aims to create economic diversification by creating new industries with new jobs in a new model of joint administration and shared benefits.
The MSAR will take a “holistic approach to national security,” Ho said, upholding national sovereignty, national security and development plans in the spirit of “patriots administering Macau,” he said.
According to Inside Asian Gaming, Macau recorded gross gaming revenues of MOP$5.88 billion (US$733 million) in September, up 32.4 percent compared to August and 166 percent higher than in September 2020, but also the second lowest monthly figure of the year so far and only half of the MOP$10.45 billion (US$1.30 billion) posted in May.
September’s GGR would have been higher if not for eight new Covid infections, all linked to hotel quarantine. Those cases closed the border between Macau and Zhuhai and required all Macau residents to be tested.
