Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng yesterday underlined the importance of Macau’s participation in the development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), with special emphasis on development projects in Hengqin initially, according to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS). 

Ho made the remarks during a meeting hosted by the Central People’s Government Liaison Office at its headquarters in Zape about this year’s “Two Sessions” – the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing. 

Macau NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members as well as other community leaders and local and mainland officials attended yesterday’s meeting. 

Macau’s first chief executive, CPPCC National Committee Vice Chairman Edmund Ho Hau Wah, and Liaison Office Director Fu Ziying also addressed the meeting. Former chief executive Fernando Chui Sai On and Foreign Ministry Commissioner Shen Beili also attended the meeting. 

In his speech, the chief executive also underlined the need to further strengthen Macau’s efforts to prevent and control the novel coronavirus disease. He also said that Macau must become an active participant in the nation’s development drive and further intensify its cooperation with Guangdong province. He said that participating in the development of the Greater Bay Area was one of Macau’s “crucial” tasks.

Ho Iat Seng also emphasised Macau’s duty to defend national security and national unification and to reject external interference and other “negative influences.”

He said that while most of Macau’s young people are known to love their country and their city, precaution was called for to ensure that this won’t change. 

In his speech, Edmund Ho pointed out that while there will be both challenges and opportunities as Macau tackles the COVID-19 pandemic, both “unity” and “consensus” are the key to overcome all social and economic problems. 

Liaison Office Director Fu Zijing urged local people to further deepen their knowledge of the need to defend national security. He also underlined the “crucial mission” to constantly deepen patriotic education among local youngsters. 

Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (left), Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Vice Chairman Edmund Ho Hau Wah (centre) and Central People’s Government Liaison Office in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Director Fu Ziying address yesterday’s meeting at the headquarters of the Liaison Office in Zape about this year’s “Two Sessions” that were held in Beijing late last month. Courtesy Liaison Office