2019 Guangzhou-Macao Cooperation Task Force meeting held in Guangzhou

The 2019 Guangzhou-Macao Cooperation Task Force Meeting took place in Guangzhou in Guangdong Province on 18 September. The event was co-chaired by Mr Leong Vai Tac, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government and by Mr Chen Zhiying, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CCPC) Guangzhou Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Guangzhou.

The Meeting focused on how to accelerate joint contributions regarding development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Greater Bay Area). Guangzhou and Macao also explored during the Meeting opportunities to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in: betterment of livelihoods; science and technology; youth entrepreneurship; traditional Chinese medicine; and cultural affairs.
In his comments during the Meeting, Secretary Leong noted that 2019 mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, as well as the 20th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland. Mr Leong suggested Macao and Guangzhou should build on the celebrations related to both occasions, by seizing the strategic opportunities offered by the national “Belt and Road” initiative and by the development of the Greater Bay Area. The two sides should actively expand and deepen intercity co-operation in various fields, in order to help accelerate Macao’s adequate economic diversification, and integrate Macao and Guangzhou with overall national development.

During the visit to Guangzhou, the Macao delegation also met with Mr Zhang Shuofu, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and Party Secretary of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee.

The 2019 Guangzhou-Macao Cooperation Task Force Meeting, held in Guangzhou

In his remarks during the Cooperation Task Force Meeting, Mr Chen Zhiying suggested Macao and Guangzhou should make use of the development of the Greater Bay Area to boost co-operation in four main areas. They were: closer coordination regarding top-level design of policies, in order to realise the goals mentioned in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; further effort to complement the respective strengths of Guangzhou and Macao, in order to build a globally-competitive modern industrial system; to make further contributions to the “Belt and Road” initiative, in order to nurture new competitive advantages within Guangzhou and Macao co-operation; and to put further effort into enhancing people’s livelihoods and creating a quality city cluster with favourable conditions for living, working and leisure.

At the Meeting, several co-operation agreements were signed, involving as the respective parties: the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality and the University of Macau; the Guangzhou Statistics Bureau and the Macao Statistics and Census Service; and the Guangzhou Nansha Youth Federation and IPIM.

During their stay in Guangzhou, Secretary Leong and the other members of the Macao delegation also visited the facilities of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Group Company Limited.