“One Country, Two Systems” a success
In a recent three-day visit to Macau, Zhang Dejiang, head of Mainland China’s National People’s Congress and the government official charged with overseeing affairs in Macau and Hong Kong, had heartening words for people and officials in the MSAR.
In particular, reported the Macau Daily Times, Zhang praised Macau’s rapid development since the 1999 handover from Portugal. “More and more countries and regions hope to board China’s fast train of development,” he said. “Macau, as an autonomous region, not only does not need to line up to buy tickets to board the train, it also gets to board the train for free.”
Zhang went on to say the central government has “saved Macau a position in a VIP car.”
Addressing some 120 local community and business leaders, the NPC Chairman said Macau should continue to advance principles of “One Country, Two Systems,” the dual policy the government credits with fast-tracking Macau to one of the world’s most robust economies.
Zhang also said he’s happy to see the government of Chui Sai On working to diversify Macau’s economy beyond gaming. “The central government feels satisfaction towards what is going on,” he said.
According to the Macau News, Chui said Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative and its plan to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area would create more opportunities for Macau’s development. He noted that the local economy has rallied after a 26-month economic decline that siphoned billions in value from the local gaming industry, but prompted the turn toward a more diverse and hopefully more recession-proof economy. The downturn that began in mid-2014 finally eased in August 2016; the city’s premier industry has since seen nine straight months of revenue growth.
Zhang said his three-day visit could be summed up in three words: “experience,” “inspection” and “encouragement,” the News reported. He added that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “four hopes” for Macau are that it enhance governance in accordance with the law; continue to diversify the city’s economy’ promote social harmony and stability; and build patriotic fervor among the region’s young people.
“As you know, I’m responsible for Hong Kong and Macau affairs in the central government,” he said. “I pay close attention to Macau’s development and changes every day. However, seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. Since Macau’s return to the motherland, especially in recent years, the central government has strengthened its support of the local government.”
He said Macau’s performance as “brilliant” and worthy of “worldwide attention” and added that he wanted to “cheer Macau on” during his visit.
Macau’s gross domestic product increased 590 percent from 1999 to 2016, equivalent to an average annual growth rate of 7.75 percent. The city’s GDP per capita was US$69,000 last year, among the highest in the world, compared to the $14,000 reported in 1999.
Lawmaker and SJM Executive Director Angela Leong said Zhang’s visit “shows how much the country cares about Macau. I hope that he will bring more policies beneficial to Macau.”
Chui, too, pledged that the local government would continue to cooperate with the goals set forth by Beijing.
