Closer Beijing-Macao links are celebrated at key trade event

People-to-people exchanges seen as crucial for the development of future relations between the two

Closer ties to Macao was a highlight of Beijing's calendar of events this month, with major delegations from the capital visiting the special administrative region in southern China.

The reason was the second-year celebration event for the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership Program, which opened in Macao on Oct 20.

There are fruitful results one year after Beijing and Macao launched the partnership action program, according to Beijing's officials.

At the opening ceremony of this year's event, Cheng Hong, vice-mayor of Beijing, said that the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership Program was an "innovative platform" for the sustained, all-round development of ties between the two regions.

The partnership program were inaugurated on Oct 20, 2016 in Macao, cementing Beijing's closer ties with Macao in various sectors, including economy and trade, culture, education and regional integration.

Cheng said over the past year, the program had yielded good results in the fields of business, science, culture and the exchange of youth and civil servants.

The Macao International Trade and Investment Fair and Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services are two major platforms for promoting the program.

Cheng said each region had organized important events to showcase their opportunities and potential for cooperation during the two fairs.

The vice-mayor noted that Beijing and Macao have faced common opportunities for growth.

One example, she said, was that the government of the Macao Special Administrative Region was implementing its first five-year plan for development, while Beijing was carrying out its overall urban development plan for 2016-35.

"The governments of the two regions should enhance cooperation in the framework of the partnership action program to better implement their own development plans," Cheng said.

Practical measures

The vice-mayor said Beijing and Macao should have more practical measures to push forward the partnership.

She noted that the two sides signed six agreements for cooperation in various fields at the opening of the partnership action program last October and added she expected more to come in the years to follow.

Two new agreements were signed during this year's event, concerning cooperation on how to better implement the two regions' development plans by using the resources and experiences of each other.

"We are willing to join hands with the Macao government for stable and long-term collaboration and expect the people of both regions will enjoy the fruits of the partnership," Cheng added.

She suggested that Beijing and Macao should make good use of the trade events on both sides to promote cooperation and development opportunities for each other.

Cheng said people-to-people exchanges, especially in the fields of culture, education and administration, were the basis for the partnership.

"We are glad to see the Beijing-Macao Cooperation Partnership Program has built a bridge between the young people, who are the vital and crucial force for cooperation in the future," Cheng said.

According to the vice-mayor, a total of 22 events for youth exchanges were scheduled for this year, involving about 2,000 people, up 67 percent from last year.

The partnership has also resulted in a dramatic rise in the number of tourists.

According to Cheng, about 96,000 tourists from Beijing visited Macao in the first half of this year, increasing 64 percent from the same period last year.

The exchange of civil servants is also an important part of the partnership action program.

This year marks the first year for the civil servant exchange after an agreement in this respect was signed in October 2016.

Eight civil servants from Beijing municipal government bodies and district governments arrived in Macao on Oct 19 for a trip lasting until Nov 19.

Beijing's authorities said they would swap experiences with their counterparts in Macao, to help improve Beijing's practices in public a: airs management.

Cheng said she was very optimistic about the future of the Beijing-Macao partnership.

"The achievements in the first year means we have had a good start for the partnership," she said.

"We are willing to further cooperate with the Macao Special Administration government, to foster our friendship and enable our peoples to benefit more from the cooperation."

zhaoshijun@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 10/26/2017 page10)