Look West, Expand East

The MSAR’s connections with the Portuguese-speaking countries are the city’s best asset within the Greater Bay Area as well as the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative, according to Kou Chin Hung, Advisor to the Office of the Chief Executive.
Speaking in a press conference held yesterday at the headquarters of the local government to announce the launching of the public consultation for the ‘Planning and Construction of the Metropolitan Area of the Greater Bay Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau,’ Mr. Kou stressed several times the role Macau holds in connecting China with the Portuguese-speaking world.
“Macau is a small city, but its biggest advantage is its relationship with the Portuguese-speaking countries, and then its connections with the Chinese diaspora,” the Advisor to the Office of the Chief Executive stated.
The participation of lusophone countries in fostering Macau’s regional integration “is very important,” said Mr. Kou, mentioning that the local government has already brought several representatives and entrepreneurs from those countries on official visits to Macau and nearby cities in the Mainland, such as Foshan.
“Take Fado, for instance, an extraordinary example. There should be more initiatives to bring it to Macau,” suggested Mr. Kou referencing a traditional genre of Portuguese music.
When asked about on-hand actions linked to the ‘priority areas’ defined within the Planning framework (see box) the government official referred to the build up of a list of start-ups from Portugal, as part of the development of Macau as a platform of creativity and innovation, in addition to current initiatives to set up young entrepreneurs in a creative park in Jiamen, for which a protocol of internships has already been established with the University of Macau.
Overall, Mr. Kou explained, one of the goals is to increase the number of employment options for Macau residents.
He complemented the comments by noting that another comparative advantage the city enjoys is being part of the ‘one country, two systems’ arrangement.
“I have been told that the Great Bay Area is similar to the Bay of Tokyo, but they are within one political system only. We have the one country, two systems, which we know how to apply well,” he opined.

Intrinsically connected
On the basis of what Mr. Kou identified as a “nation-building project,” the MSAR integrates into the planning for the Greater Bay Area as one of the eleven cities making up the ensemble.
The so-called ‘9+2,’ including the two Special Administrative Regions and the nine cities of Guangdong Province “is a question inscribed in the economic development of the country. So it is a very high level order [project],” Mr. Kou explained.
The ‘General Guidelines of the Planning for the Reform and Development of the Pearl River Delta Region’ date back to 2008.
“Macau has an intrinsic relationship with Hong Kong and Guangdong,” recalled Mr. Kou, citing a series of examples of long-term and recent co-operative actions between the city and the pan delta region.
These include projects in the areas of economic development and trade (with Jiamen, Foshan, and Zhonsan), education (with Shenzhen and Hengqin), and infrastructure (with Shenzhen).
Stretching out the Delta to the Road, the government representative explained that efforts to integrate Macau further within the Bay have been linked to the OBOR initiative since 2015, mentioning in particular the signing of a memorandum of understanding to strengthen co-operation with Shenzhen as one of its entry points that same year.

Public consultation
Starting yesterday and until June 28, the government will be collecting ideas, opinions, and suggestions from residents about the ways they would like to see Macau’s participation in the Greater Bay Area develop, announced Lao Pun Lap, Co-ordinator for the Policy Research Office (GEP).
Online access, telephone, and post mail are the options available to the Macau population to express opinions. The officials explained that given the short time available for public consultation no session for discussion and the collecting of opinions will be held on this occasion.
“We have started consulting associations and specialists and have already forwarded opinions to the central government. We are now collecting opinions once again,” explained Mr. Kou.
Asked about whether or not he thought the time for collecting opinions was short, Kou responded that “any delays would not be convenient to the central government.”


Eight priorities
– Create links of co-operation and openness to the Greater Bay
– Promote adequate economic diversification through multilateral co-operation
– Co-ordinate efforts to develop a good living environment in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, negotiating equal treatment for Macau residents in the three regions of the Greater Bay
– Foster the exchange of people and promote cultural enrichment
– Encourage bilateral co-operation, support young entrepreneurs, and expand space for the development of small and medium enterprises
– Strengthen connection between infrastructures
– Actively use cutting-edge technology to create a system of innovation, supporting the development of new economies, technologies and sectors of Macau
– Strengthen the promotion of the Greater Bay Area