Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng predicted in his New Year’s Message today that thanks to the “constant strengthening of the public health capacity” and increased vaccine availability in the market, Macau “will certainly win the great battle” against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ho also said he was convinced that with the central government’s strong support and the joint effort of the whole population, the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) can overcome the difficulties that it is facing and achieve development and progress “in favour of the stable and lasting implementation of the principle of ‘One Country, Two Systems’ with Macau characteristics.”

Ho, who has been at the helm of the Macau government since December 20, 2019, also said he was anticipating the “coexistence of opportunities and challenges, of hope and difficulties” next year.

The chief executive pledged that the MSAR government will continue to be guided by President Xi Jinping’s directives and “important remarks” during his inspection visit to Macau in 2019.

Ho acknowledged that 2020 was a “particularly difficult year” which brought unprecedented challenges to Macau. The 63-year-old chief executive underlined that in its ongoing fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic the local government has always given priority to residents’ lives and health. He thanked the central government and “fraternal” provinces and regions for their strong support and underlined the solidarity and cooperation among the local population in tackling the novel coronavirus disease. In particular, Ho thanked Macau’s healthcare workers and members of the public security forces and all the others who have been on the frontline of the battle against COVID-19.

Ho stressed that thanks to its arduous efforts Macau has achieved “positive results” in fighting the disease. He pointed out that in spite of the pandemic Macau’s socio-economic development has been able to remain stable and the population’s quality of life has made further progress.

Ho, a former member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and ex-president of the Macau Legislative Assembly (AL), also said that in 2021 Macau would continue its “active and programmatic” participation in the development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as well as the central government’s “dual circulation” strategy. Ho said the local government would coordinate its policies in line with the nation’s 14^th Five-Year Plan.

Ho, a former business community leader, also said that his government would further strengthen Macau’s traditional patriotism and ensure the successful organisation of next year’s Legislative Assembly elections.

The chief executive said that in its ongoing COVID-19 control and prevention measures the government was committed to preventing imported cases and avoid a local outbreak.

Macau has recorded 46 COVID-19 cases since late January. All the patients have made a full recovery and been discharged from hospital. The Health Bureau (SSM) has said that 44 of the cases were imported while two were “connected to imported cases.”

Photo: GCS