Principal officials from Macau and Guangdong held the first meeting yesterday since the signing of the framework agreement outlining bilateral cooperation, and inked three more protocols to further facilitate a closer tie between the two.
Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On and Guangdong governor Huang Huahua led an official delegation to attend the Guangdong-Macau Co-operation Joint Conference 2011 in a hotel in Zhuhai, after officiating the ceremonies for the Chinese medicine industrial park and the Zhuyin reservoir in the morning.
The one hour meeting concluded with the signing of three new pacts; the Cooperation Agreement on Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park between the Guangdong province and Macau SAR, the Agreement on Cooperation between Guangzhou and Macau to promote the CEPA Pioneer Demonstration Zone in Nansha, and also the Major Work Plan for the Implementation of the Guangdong-Macau Co-operation Framework Agreement.
According to Huang Huahua in a press conference that followed, facilitated customs clearance and tax incentives for individuals and enterprises have already been attributed to ‘major progression’ in the development of Hengqin Island.
The governor also disclosed that the two governments have agreed to establish four shared platforms for the joint development of enterprises, collaborative development of industries, the creation of a quality living zone as well as innovative cooperation and development mechanisms.
Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On told reporters that the next step is a joint study of the expansion of tourism, service, exhibition, creative and cultural industries, to increase space for business development to also benefit small and medium sized enterprises.
Following further policy announcements from the Central Government for Hengqin development, the chief executive said Guangdong and Macau will reinforce promotion to attract business to the island and subsequently diversify the SAR’s economy for future sustainability.
He also said the SAR Government has the ‘confidence and determination’ to turn itself into a world travel and leisure hub, adding that its next task is to promote the idea of ‘one trip, multiple stops’ to tourists.
During the joint conference, the two sides recognised the progress made during the past year, and agreed that Guangdong-Macau cooperation has entered a ‘new historical stage of development’ and that goals for the next 10 years are clear, and cooperation will ‘continue to expand and optimise’.
The two Governments have also reached a consensus to enhance mechanisms and formulate detailed planning to ensure effective implementation of the Guangdong-Macau Co-operation Framework Agreement, inject necessary resources to participate in the development of Hengqin, facilitate ‘continuous improvement’ to people’s livelihood, fully promote the construction of the Chinese medicine industrial park, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and the new campus of the University of Macau.