Zhang Dejiang, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), arrived in Macao yesterday at noon to start a three-day inspection tour. The Chairman described the aim of his visit as "to perceive, to inspect and to offer encouragement". From his speech at the airport on arrival to his listening to reports by Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai-on and other principal officials [of the Macao SAR] in the afternoon, he appeared delighted, amiable and encouraging, so much so that Macau SAR Government officials and many citizens felt deeply excited and inspired.
This is the first time for Zhang Dejiang to set foot in Macao in his capacity as Chairman of NPC Standing Committee, though his relationship with Macao goes back long time ago. As early as in 2004, the then Guangdong provincial party secretary Zhang Dejiang personally visited Macao to push forward Guangdong-Macao cooperation and the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation. During his tenure [in Guangdong], he also devoted great effort to push forward diversified development of Macao's economy, including planning the development of Hengqin island and accomplishing the relocation of Macao University. He can be truly said as an old friend of the Macao SAR who has rendered outstanding service to its development.
What gratifies Zhang Dejiang, in his visit to Macao 13 year later, is that today's Macao SAR has already made great progress in diversified economic development and improvement of people's livelihood. Furthermore, it has taken the lead in comprehensively implementing "one country two systems" and the Basic Law [of the Macao SAR] and strengthening economic integration with the Mainland. Its performance in this regard is very impressive.
Another major reason why Macao SAR could develop faster in recent years lies in that it has well grasped development opportunities opened by the national 13th Five Year Plan and the "One Belt One Road (OBOR)" initiative, making good use of Mainland resources to push forward its own development. It was yesterday that the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park announced the completion of construction of its headquarters building. This is the first project jointly developed by Guangdong and Macao within the Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Framework Agreement.
After listening to reports by Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai-on and other principal officials, Chairman Zhang Dejiang delivered a speech. Some of his words, valuable and substantial, give people food for thought, which are of important significance not only in guiding Macao SAR's work in future but also in inspiring the Hong Kong SAR that is also under "one country two systems", and thus are worthy of attention by the Hong Kong SAR Government and Hong Kong people.
Chairman Zhang Dejiang pointed out that since Macao's return to Chinese sovereignty, the principle of "one country two systems" and Basic Law have been implemented comprehensively, the Central Government's jurisdiction over the SAR has been effectively implemented and Macao SAR's high-degree autonomy fully protected, its executive-led system has been working well and its economy developing fast, people's livelihood has kept improving and society remained harmonious and stable, and various undertakings have kept progressing, - the achievements have attracted world attention.
Zhang Dejiang pointed out that, the current situation in Macao was generally good but it still faced some problems and challenges, economic and social development set higher requirements for the governance of the SAR Government, and vast majority of residents also had many expectations on it. He hoped the SAR Government would unite as one, have the courage to take responsibility, and keep improving its governance and efficiency of administration. [He encouraged the Macao SAR] to unite with absolute sincerity, be duty bound to defend the territory of its country, brace up and run the SAR well, be enthusiastic and exert oneself, and strive to achieve good governance and efficient administration, so as to make new contributions to the successful implementation of "one country two systems".
In his speech, the words that "the Central Government's jurisdiction over the SAR has been effectively implemented and Macao SAR's high-degree autonomy fully protected" are exactly the most accurate and powerful description of "one country two systems". Moreover, only under the pre-condition that the Central Government's jurisdiction over the SAR is effectively implemented, will the SAR's high-degree autonomy be possibly fully protected. This is proven by the success and development of the Macao SAR. His advice "to unite with absolute sincerity, be duty bound to defend the territory of its country, brace up and run the SAR well, be enthusiastic and exert oneself, and strive to achieve good governance and efficient administration" is a spur that must never forgotten by the two SARs of Hong Kong and Macao.
9 May 2017
