Chinese President Xi Jinping has laid down his expectations for Macau during a visit to the city to swear in its next leader, calling on it to avoid complacency, strive to attract a broad range of talent and play a bigger role on the international stage.
At the same time, Xi praised the city for the orderly development of its gaming industry, the biggest in the world, as well as its efforts to diversify its economic base.
The president outlined his vision for Macau in a speech at a gala dinner at the East Asian Games Dome on Thursday, attended by Sam Hou-fai, who will be inaugurated as the city’s fourth chief executive on Friday, and Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu.
Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan, and current Macau leader Ho Iat-seng also attended the dinner.
The president’s visit also marks the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to Chinese rule.
Among the president’s three expectations for Macau, “embracing a broader vision” was at the top of the list. He called on the casino hub to “keep pace with the trends of the times” and further refine its vision for the future.
The city should adopt a scientific approach to mapping out its next stage and focus on further aligning with national development strategies, including the Greater Bay Area blueprint, while playing a bigger role on the international stage, Xi said.
“Macau’s international influence and visibility have risen significantly” over the past five years, and the city has “maintained stable economic and trade ties with more countries and regions”, he said.
His second expectation was for the city to “embrace diversity and inclusiveness”, urging Macau to “attract the best minds”.
The city should also forge ahead with greater resolve and courage in implementing reforms and innovation, he said.
Citing an old Chinese saying, the president told the audience: “Macau is the most prosperous of all ports in Canton.”
Xi urged the city to “never be complacent when life is prosperous or ignore potential risks when the going is good”.
“You can leverage your institutional strength under ‘one country, two systems’ to break new ground in the region’s development,” he said.
The gaming industry was developing in a healthy and orderly manner while “major emerging industries are booming”, the president said, adding the city had increased spending on improving people’s livelihoods while residents’ freedoms “remain fully guaranteed”.
Political analyst Sonny Lo Shiu-hing said Xi’s expectation that Macau expand its international influence was in line with the central government’s foreign policy.
“The central government tasks Macau with a special role in expanding the country’s international impact, particularly upon the Portuguese-speaking countries, in a bid to serve the country’s overall development blueprints,” Lo said, citing the Belt and Road Initiative linking economies across Asia, Europe, Africa and South America into a China-centred trade network.
The president’s call could also signal Beijing’s intention to step up efforts to turn the city into another large off-shore renminbi centre, standing side by side with Hong Kong, he said.
After the dinner, the audience moved to an adjacent venue to watch a variety performance featuring local performers, as well as elements of the lotus flower, on which Macau’s flag is based. The show was aired live by state broadcaster CCTV.
In the morning, Xi visited the Macau University of Science and Technology, touring its State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences.
In May last year, China launched two satellites developed by a team at the university to monitor changes in the Earth’s magnetic field.
In a letter to the satellite research team, Xi noted their efforts to further the country’s aerospace ambitions.
The president also had a “friendly exchange” with researchers and students, according to Xinhua.
University president Joseph Lee Hun-wei said Xi called on Macau to “continue to internationalise” and further develop the traditional Chinese medicine industry.
“[Xi] believes the research for Chinese medicine should be combined with the latest [developments] of biomedicine to lead the world. [He said] Chinese medicine will take up an important position in the world,” Lee said after meeting the president.
Among the students who met the president was Gao Kangwei, a second-year law student from mainland China.
“He said studying in Macau can widen our horizons and expose us to a different culture, which is good for our studies as it allows us to contribute to the motherland,” the 20-year-old said.
Jim Wong Ion-him, a first-year medical student, also spoke with Xi and called their exchange “heart-warming”.
“It felt surreal to meet him in person instead of just seeing him on TV,” the 18-year-old said.
Wong said he hoped more opportunities would open up for local doctors, adding the small local market had driven many to pursue a career in the bay area.
Following his visit to the university, Xi toured the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, co-governed by Guangdong and local authorities, where he met residents who had relocated to set up businesses.
Sam, who ran uncontested, has pledged to carefully regulate the gaming sector and ensure orderly developments through “strict enforcement” of the law while also supporting the growth of other industries and attracting more visitors from outside the mainland.