“One country, two systems” brings tangible benefits to Macao’s development
The
special administrative region (SAR)of Macao has experienced huge changes since
its return to China 20 years ago. “The benefits brought by the ‘one country,
two systems’ policy is one of the fundamental reasons for these changes,” said
Lok Wai Kin, professor of the University of Macau (UM) during a recent
interview.
Macao’s
development was once hindered by its small size. To cope with this issue,the Hengqin
New Area in Zhuhai,south China’s Guangdong Province was established in 2009,
and the UMHengqin campus was the first project under theHengqin-Macao
cooperation.
Located underthe
Hengqin Hilland facingTaipa Island, the UM’s new campus followed the law of the
Chinese mainland during the construction period and was later transferred to
Macao for jurisdictionupon completion.
Over the
past 10 years, Henqin New Area has witnessed constant improvement in its
infrastructure with each passing day. Withover 1,500 Macao-funded enterprises having
registered in the area,Hengqin New Area has offsetthe narrowness of Macao,
enrichingthe connotation of the“one country, two systems” principle
in an innovative manner.
When Macao was
stuck by typhoon Hato, the strongest typhoon of the year in Aug. 2017, the SAR
suffered heavy rainfall and seawater intrusion. At the request of the Macao SAR
government, nearly a thousand officers and soldiers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were sent tothe regionfor rescue and disaster
relief.
To thank the
hard work of the PLA soldiers, Macao citizens voluntarily offered food and water. “This made us
truly understand the meaning of motherland,” said a primary school student in
Macao.
Before Macao’s return to China, the region’s governorswere appointed and empowered by the
President of Portugal. There was no Chinese holding a departmental
position in the Macao government under the administration of Portugal until
1997.
After Macao
returned to China, the Chinese central government and Macao SAR have promoted
the development of democratic political systemin the
region step by step in accordance with the Basic Law of the Macao
SAR and relevant provisions of the National People’s Congress (NPC). So far, four chief executives and five
terms of members of the Legislative Assembly of the region have been elected.
In Macao’s
sixth Legislative Assembly election held in 2017, a
total of 186 people took part in direct election, being the largest
number in history. Registered voters in the election amounted to 307,020, up
11.23 percent from the previous year.
“The
successful practice of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle in Macao uplifted
Macao citizens’ enthusiasm for political participation, andthe idea of ‘the people
of Macao governing Macao’ has become the most powerful stimulus for Macao
residents’engagement in political affairs,”said a scholar from Macao.
Today’s Macao enjoys great prosperity as Avenida de
Almeida Ribeiro, one of the busiest avenues in the region is seeing vigorous
commercial development, and thefamous
Senado Square is welcoming crowds of tourists.
After its
return to China, Macao has grown into one of the fastest-growing regions in the
world. It opened its gaming industry to the world,and embraced rapid development
of its tourism sector and related industries such as catering, hotel, and
conference and exhibition.
From 1999 to
2018, Macao’s GDP grew from 47.3 billion patacas (about
$5.87 billion) to 440.3 billion patacas, and its per capita GDP from $15,000 to
$83,000.
“After
years of unremitting endeavors, Macao has seen preliminary results of its appropriate
level of diversified economic development,” said Leong Vai Tac,4thSecretary
for Economy and Financeof Macao SAR government, ata meeting of the Legislative
Assembly at the end of 2018.
In 2017,
the total added value of Macao’s conference and exhibition industry, financial
industry, traditional Chinese medicine industry, and cultural and
creative industryhit 32.08 billion patacas, rising by 23.61 percent from that
in 2015.
The
conference and exhibition industry developed particularly fast among emerging
industries in Macao, whose growth rate of the total added value was up nearly
147 percent from 2015 to 2017.
The past twenty
years of Macao’s leapfrog development was also the period
when Macao SAR made great efforts to integrate itself into the overall
development of China.
With the issuance
and introduction of major official documents and measures such asthe Closer Economic Partnership
Arrangements (CEPAs) with the Mainland,the deepening regional cooperation in
the pan-Pearl River Delta, andthe Outline Development Plan for the
Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Macao is embracing a huge number of
opportunities.
Besides,
the completion of major cross-region infrastructure projects including the Hong
Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge have effectively boosted the connectivity among Macao
and its neighboring regions and further enhanced its attraction.
As it gets
stronger day by day, Macao is making great efforts to improve people’s livelihood. Since 2007, the region has
implemented 15-year compulsory education for students from kindergarten to high
school.
“All
Macao citizens, regardless of age and occupation, do not have to pay for the
medical services they receive at local health centers or the medical examination
fee if transferred to public hospitals,”said local health authority.
The
primary healthcare security system of Macao covers a wide range of free medical
services, and has been therefore rated asa role model of healthcare security of the Pacific
region by the World Health Organization.
Macao has introduced
an annual cash sharing scheme in 2008to directly benefit its people. In 2019, each
permanent resident of Macao SAR can receive 10,000 patacas from the scheme, and
senior citizens can receive a special subsidy. Now, the average life expectancy
of Macao citizens has reached 84 years.
On the
the Golden Lotus Square of Macao, the national flag of China and the regional
flag of Macao SAR are fluttering. During the past 20 years, the "one
country, two systems" principle and "the people of Macao governing
Macao" have demonstrated strong vitality in Macao with a high degree of
autonomy.
Facts prove
that the “one country, two systems” policy is totally a workable solution
welcomed by the people.
Macao Scenery
(Photo by Liu Baocheng)
“One country, two systems” brings tangible benefits to Macao’s development
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