Bay Area plan gives Macao a key role

The outline development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, unveiled by the central government in February, listed Macao as one of the four core engines for the region's development.

The plan, with 49 items directly related to Macao's development, said it will be built into a center of world tourism and leisure, a platform for commerce and trade with Portuguese-speaking countries to promote moderate economic diversification, and a multicultural base with Chinese culture as the mainstream.

The Macao Special Administrative Region government established a working committee for the construction of the Bay Area last year that is responsible for coordinating the overall design and deployment of Macao's participation in the Bay Area.

In June, it released an annex to Macao's five-year development plan that was dedicated to Macao's participation in the Bay Area construction, covering a wide range of issues including social welfare, education, youth entrepreneurship, technology, infrastructure and culture.

Macao has a history of more than 400 years as a bridge between the West and the East. The integration of Chinese and Western cultures in the city has made it a well-known tourist destination around the world. Last year, it received more than 35.8 million visitors.

For historical reasons, Macao has deep links with Portuguese-speaking countries. Lam Cheuk-wah, president of the Macao Innovation Development Research Association, told Xinhua News Agency that as economic and trade ties between China and those countries grow closer, Macao has natural advantages in terms of language use and business environment to promote closer cooperation.

The outline development plan included nine specific measures to build Macao into a hub for commerce and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, including establishing or improving its financial service platform, cultural exchange center, youth innovation and entrepreneurship exchange center, and economic and trade cooperation forum.

Mi Jian, the Macao Special Administrative Region government's director of policy studies and regional development, said Macao can be a "window" and "bridge" connecting China to the world. As a node city of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, it has a special role in promoting mutual understanding between the East and the West.