A Lotus in Its Prime—Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Macao's Return to the Motherland

Macao has actively integrated into the country's overall development and actively opened up new space for its own development.

The future of Macao has always been closely linked to China as a whole. Since Macao's return to the motherland, the central government has provided it with all-round support, not only incorporating it into the country's major development strategies and five-year development plans to clearly determine the orientation of its development, but also launching the Individual Visit Scheme, the Mainland and Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), the Hengqin development project, the plan to allocate 85 square kilometers of territorial waters to Macao, and multiple measures under the framework of China-Portugal cooperation, as well as introducing favorable policies to support Macao's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Initiative, thus creating a broader platform for the development of Macao. Over the past 20 years, Macao has leveraged the firm backing of the mainland to raise the SAR's competitiveness, taken full advantage of the CPC Central Committee's supporting policies, seized the great opportunities brought through China's reform and development, and worked hard to promote measured, diversified, and sustainable economic growth. On the one hand, Macao has actively promoted economic transformation on the basis of its actual conditions. It has actively sought support from the mainland and relevant departments of the central government, and taken solid steps to build itself into a global hub for tourism and leisure, a platform for business and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, a base for exchange and cooperation where Chinese culture plays the dominant role and diverse cultures coexist in an effort to foster new drivers of growth. Through various measures including medium-term reviews and improvement of the legal system, Macao has strengthened and refined supervision over the gaming industry, and worked hard to boost its economy's capacity to withstand risks. On the other hand, Macao has focused on exerting its strengths to better serve the needs of the country. It has played an active role in national development strategies such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Initiative, and leveraged its advantages such as having extensive international connections to aid in China's pursuit of high-quality development and high-level opening up, aspiring to become a bridgehead for our country's efforts to open up in both directions. Meanwhile, Macao has bolstered cooperation and exchange with the mainland, actively participated in the Congjiang County poverty alleviation initiative in Guizhou, continued to deepen its cooperation with Guangdong, and vigorously expanded regional cooperation with Fujian, Jiangsu, Beijing, and Sichuan. Macao has thus more effectively combined its institutional advantages stemming from "one country, two systems" with the multiple strengths of the mainland, bringing about complementarity and shared development in the process.

The Macao end of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The bridge spans a total of 55 km over the Lingding Channel, connecting the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the east to Zhuhai and the Macao Special Administrative Region in the west. Opened on October 23, 2018, it was the first major sea-spanning transportation project constructed through cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao under the "one country, two systems" policy.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY VISUAL CHINA

Macao has upheld its political system in which the executive branch plays the leading role, and worked continuously to raise its public administration capacity and standards.

Under the "one country, two systems" policy, the government of the SAR plays the chief role in governing Macao, and is therefore responsible for seeing that specific affairs are managed effectively. In strict accordance with the Basic Law, Macao has maintained the right balance in the relationship between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the SAR, actively upheld the authority of the Chief Executive, and ensured the smooth operation of its political system in which the executive branch plays the leading role. The government of the SAR has, over successive terms, taken the initiative to respond to changing circumstances and public expectations, and continued to raise its governance capacity and standards, thus earning widespread recognition. Over the past 20 years, the government of the SAR has introduced administrative principles such as, "consolidating foundations for steady development," "raising overall quality of life in Macao," "carrying forward traditions, making innovations, and building harmony together," and "setting our sights on the future and shared prosperity." These principles have fit in with the needs of development and popular will at different stages, maintained continuity of policies, and promoted sustained, steady, and healthy development of Macao. In recent years, the government formulated and implemented the first Five-Year Development Plan (2016-2020) for the Macao SAR, introduced dedicated plans for promoting the development of the tourism industry and the conference and exhibition industry, and began drawing up plans for Macao's urban development. Macao has thus used planning to guide development, and done well in seizing the initiative in development. The government of the SAR has upheld a people-centered political philosophy, worked tirelessly to develop the economy and raise people's living standards, responded to diverse demands from society in an appropriate manner, balanced the interests of various parties, improved public wellbeing, and promoted social fairness and justice with great dedication. Macao has made steady progress in building a transparent government, using methods such as improving public consultation mechanisms and encouraging government officials to visit local communities to strengthen communication and consultation with various social organizations and sectors and broadly solicit the opinions and demands of various social strata so that public approval is the basis of government decision-making. Macao has continued to promote public administration reforms, facilitated reorganization of the governmental structure and the functions of different departments, and cleared out and revised outdated laws and regulations, in an effort to provide the people with public services that are of higher quality and greater efficiency.

On October 26, 2019, the 14th Session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress voted on and passed the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Authorizing the Macao Special Administrative Region to Exercise Jurisdiction over Macao's Port Zone at Hengqin Port and Related Extended Areas. PHOTO BY CNS REPORTER DU YANG 

Macao has built solid social and political foundations by vigorously promoting the spirit of national and regional pride.

The people of Macao have a glorious tradition of patriotism. National and regional pride are core values of Macao's society that serve as a source of strength for driving development. The facts that all sectors of Macao's society are united under the banner of national and regional pride, and that patriots have always played a dominant role in social and political activities have laid a solid foundation for the government of the SAR to govern in a law-based and effective manner and for ensuring that "one country, two systems" is successfully practiced. Over the past 20 years, Macao's patriots and especially its key social organizations have set an example in studying, publicizing, and implementing the Constitution, the Basic Law, and the "one country, two systems" policy. With regard to matters of principle involving issues such as national sovereignty, security, and development interests, they have had the courage to take a firm, clear-cut stand, and promoted national consciousness and patriotism throughout society. They have taken the lead in supporting the SAR government's execution of law-based governance, acted as a bridge between the people and the government, put forward constructive proposals and suggestions, and promoted the implementation of policy, thereby facilitating economic development and improvements in public wellbeing. They have also taken the lead in safeguarding social harmony and stability, and helped members of different social strata and sectors communicate and understand each other better, in an effort to build common ground and work together by putting differences aside. Finally, they have taken the lead in promoting cooperation and exchange between Macao and the mainland, and contributed their respective strengths to shared development by offering their suggestions and support. The government of the SAR has also relied heavily on these patriots. The Executive Council, municipal institutions, and government advisory bodies are composed of representatives from social organizations characterized by their national and regional pride, and therefore these people are deeply involved in government decision-making. Before taking major actions, the government holds special consultations with these organizations to firm up public support. When dealing with hotspot issues in society, the government communicates with these organizations so that they can help build social consensus and mitigate conflicts in a timely manner. All these moves have greatly enhanced mutual trust and cooperation between the government and patriots in Macao, and consolidated the foundations for unity and stability in the region.

Macao has made great efforts to educate young people so that the cause of "one country, two systems" can be carried forward.

The young people of Macao shoulder hopes for the future of the region and the future of our nation. Macao has always stuck to the idea that it should invigorate and develop itself by promoting education and fostering talent. Tapping into both its own resources and those of the mainland, and mobilizing the support of the government, schools, social organizations, and families, Macao has formed a comprehensive and multi-dimensional network for educating young people, thus creating a positive situation in which young people feel pride in Macao and their country, and wholeheartedly uphold the cause of "one country, two systems." Driven by a strong sense of historical responsibility, the government of the SAR has laid the foundations for achieving long-term objectives over the past 20 years, formulating the Outline Law on Non-higher Education System, the Higher Education System, and the Macao Youth Policy (2012-2020). It has implemented medium- and long-term plans for fostering talent, introduced a series of policies to support young people in pursuing their studies, finding jobs, and starting businesses, set up education development funds and higher education funds, and offered 15 years of free education, thus providing solid backing for the education of young people. The government has seized the initiative in education by emphasizing the importance of school education and focusing on teachers and teaching materials as two key links. It has also implemented exchange programs for outstanding teachers from the mainland to visit Macao, supported sister school partnerships between the mainland and Macao, and encouraged students from Macao to apply to mainland colleges. Macao has worked with the mainland's People's Education Press to compile teaching materials on history, morality, and citizenship, and widely promoted them. It has also made courses on the Constitution and the Basic Law a mandatory component of in general education. The flag of the PRC is flown at all colleges and secondary and primary schools across Macao, signaling that pride in our country is taught at each of these campuses. The government has worked together with various sectors of society to help the young people of Macao conduct in-depth exchanges with the mainland, so that they better understand, identify with, and integrate into the country. It has also made a point of choosing young talent to be appointed to government positions and to take over for outgoing leaders of social organizations, so that young people have opportunities and platforms to prove their value and closely link their personal development to the development of Macao and the nation. 

Fu Ziying is Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region.

(Originally appeared in Qiushi Journal, Chinese edition, No. 23, 2019)