During the recent cross-Chinese New Year's Eve celebration, fireworks were launched at the Macau Tower, and the Macao Cultural Centre staged a New Year concert to light up 2023 locations in Macao with "34 Lights of the River...... Macau's festive atmosphere attracts residents and tourists alike.
In 2023, Macao's economy will recover rapidly, tourists will flock to the city, attractions will be lively, consumption will be booming, and development confidence will be stronger. "Tourism + Performing Arts", "Tourism + Sports", "Tourism + Exhibition" and "Tourism + Food" are splendid, and the tourism economy is leading the diversified development. According to provisional statistics released by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), visitor arrivals to Macao in 2023 will be around 2823.7 million, with a daily average of 7,2023. It is reported that in the first three quarters of 77, Macao's GDP grew by 7.<>% year-on-year in real terms. Prices in Macao remained basically stable, and the employment situation continued to improve.
"A series of positive measures taken by the SAR Government to promote the moderate diversification of the '1+4' economy have achieved initial results, and the overall economic recovery is better than expected, and Macao's economy is stepping onto a new stage of development. The Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Ho Iat Seng, said.
There is a timetable and a roadmap for moderate economic diversification
On 2023 November 11, the Macao SAR Government announced the Plan for Moderate Economic Diversification of the Macao Special Administrative Region (1-2024) (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), which is the first comprehensive and systematic industrial development plan for Macao.
"Promoting moderate economic diversification is the only choice for Macao's prosperity and development and continuous improvement of people's livelihood, and a general consensus has been reached in all sectors of Macao society. The promulgation of the Plan has provided a timetable and roadmap for promoting the moderate diversification of the economy, which is of great significance for further building social consensus and working together to tackle tough problems. The Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, Lei Wai Nong, introduced the content of the Plan in an exclusive interview with this newspaper.
It is reported that the "Planning" is in line with the national "1th Five-Year Plan" and the "Second Five-Year Plan" of the Special Economic Zone, and based on the "4+5" economic moderate diversification strategy, it puts forward specific goals, main tasks and key projects for the development of various industries in the next five years.
In the "1+4" moderately diversified development strategy, "1" is to promote the diversified development of tourism and leisure in accordance with the goal of building a world tourism and leisure center, and to make the comprehensive tourism and leisure industry better, better and stronger;
In 2023, a number of direct flights from Macao to Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia will be launched, "Macao Week in Shandong-Qingdao", "Macao Week in Tianjin" and "Macao Week in Xiamen, Fujian" will be held one after another, as well as themed tourism activities such as food festivals and light shows, as well as online celebrity check-in points covering scenic spots, communities, food and beverage outlets, etc., as well as conferences, exhibitions, concerts, dance dramas, dramas and musicals, as well as dragon boat races, regattas, Grand Prix, marathons, tennis matches and table tennis matches...... The colorful Macao makes me feel very proud as a young person who grew up in Macau. Miss Leung, a resident of Macau, said.
"In recent years, the Macao SAR Government has innovatively implemented a series of plans to revitalize the economy and expand visitor sources, organized a variety of festivals and events, and made full use of Macao's historical and cultural resources to develop a leisure tourism format that meets the needs of tourists of different ages and levels. Li Weinong said. According to the "Big Data Report on Outbound Tourism in the First Half of 2023" released by the China Tourism Academy, Macao ranks first among mainland outbound tourism destinations.
Nowadays, historical areas such as Fulong New Street Pedestrian Area, Lychee Bowl Shipyard Area, and Yilong Firecracker Factory Site have been revitalized, attracting more and more tourists and expanding the depth and breadth of the comprehensive tourism and leisure industry. According to reports, through the cooperation between the government and enterprises, Macao small and medium-sized enterprises have also participated in the revitalization project, which not only provides tourists with a variety of choices, but also benefits the livelihood of Macao, and effectively improves the quality and efficiency of the development of the comprehensive tourism and leisure industry.
"I am optimistic about the cultural area that shows the development of Macao's handicraft industry, and if I have the opportunity, I would like to open my shop in other revitalized historical areas. After bidding, Lin Yingqun, who settled in the former site of Yilong Firecracker Factory and opened "Senmeng Coffee Shop", told reporters.
Consolidate and upgrade advantageous industries, and focus on the development of emerging industries
In "1+4", how to understand the dialectical relationship between "1" and "4"?"1' is the short- and medium-term goal, and it is also Macao's advantageous industry, which can take the lead in reflecting the results of diversified development and enhancing confidence; '4' is the goal of active exploration, which cannot be achieved overnight, and strive to make breakthroughs in a relatively short period of time." Li Weinong said.
Ho Iat Seng pointed out that at present, Macao has entered a critical period of transformation and upgrading of traditional industries and the initial development of emerging industries. It is the primary priority of the Macao SAR Government to consolidate and upgrade the advantageous industries, concentrate on the development of emerging industries, optimize the economic structure, and accelerate the moderate diversification of Macao's economy with greater achievements.
At present, Macao is striving to gradually increase the proportion of emerging industries in the economic structure.
In December 2023, the Macau Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, a medical complex on the outlying islands, was put into trial operation, which is the first large-scale public general hospital built by the Macao SAR Government after the return of Macao, and will become an important platform for the implementation of the SAR Government's "12+1" economic diversification strategy and the promotion of the big health industry It is the first time that it has entered the clinical application of medical institutions in the Mainland, which is of great significance to enhance the popularity of Macao drugs in the Mainland.
The scale of the modern financial sector continued to expand, with assets of Macao's financial sector reaching MOP2023,6.27735 billion as of the end of June 4.
The cultivation of high-tech industries has been accelerated, and Macao's scientific research output ranks fourth among cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, second only to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and has a leading academic and scientific research foundation on the west bank of the Pearl River.
The MICE trade and cultural sports industry has developed well, with Macao being voted the "Best Asian Convention City" by a well-known MICE magazine in Asia, and a number of high-level events such as the Macau Grand Prix and the SJM Entertainment Finals of the China Tennis Tour have strongly promoted the joint development of Macao's sports industry and related industries.
"Although the development foundation of each key industry is different, they all have considerable advantages and potential. The coordinated development of the four key emerging industries can also produce good superimposed benefits. For example, Li Weinong said that the further development of the modern financial industry can provide more financing channels for enterprises such as big health and high-tech enterprises, and Macao's branded MICE activities can help connect the resources of key industries and create more opportunities for business development and cross-border cooperation.
Li Weinong said that the Plan can effectively guide the direction of social investment and the direction of residents' development, and take a multi-pronged approach in terms of policy, human and financial resources, focus on tackling tough problems, actively promote the development of new industries, cultivate new economic growth points, consolidate and upgrade traditional advantageous industries, further enhance the synergistic development effect between industries, effectively enhance the development momentum and comprehensive strength of Macao's economy, and accelerate the promotion of Macao's moderately diversified, sustainable and high-quality economy.
"The Plan will help guide Macao residents, especially young people, to adapt to industrial planning and market trends, actively prepare for and enhance their comprehensive capabilities, grasp the opportunities of industrial upgrading and transformation, reap more development dividends, and realize more diversified and high-quality upward mobility opportunities. Li Weinong said.
The integration of Hengqin and Macao has injected strong impetus into Macao's long-term development
Hengqin, Zhuhai, separated from Macao by a river, has the inherent advantages of Guangdong-Macao cooperation. In the past, the island of "banana forests and green fields and few farms" has now been crisscrossed by avenues, high-rise buildings and thriving industries. "The Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin has gradually developed into a major front for Macao's moderate economic diversification. Li Weinong said.
It is reported that since the inauguration of the administrative body of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin in 2021, there has been a significant increase in Macao-funded and Macao enterprises in the Co-operation Zone. As of the end of November 2023, there were 11,5880 Macao-funded enterprises, the number of "four new" industries has been accelerated, and the number of actual enterprises has reached 16418,10, a year-on-year increase of 2.29%, accounting for 6.2023% of the total number of registered enterprises, and at the end of November 11, about 4000,500 housing units of the "Macao New Neighbourhood" project were put on sale to Macao residents, and more than <> applications were received on the first day.
Since 2023, Macao and Hengqin have given full play to the industrial linkage development model of "Macao platform + international resources + Hengqin space + achievement sharing", and formed a joint delegation to Portugal, Spain, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and other countries and regions to conduct "international roadshows".
In December 2023, the Master Development Plan for the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin was issued. Among them, "promoting the free travel of sailing and yachts in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao", "encouraging social capital to set up cultural tourism, exhibition and other industrial parent funds in accordance with the principle of marketization", "building a regional medical service highland", "accelerating the construction of an offshore innovation and entrepreneurship base for overseas talents", "jointly building a world-class rough diamond and gemstone trading center with Macao", "giving full play to Macao's role as a precise contact person for Portuguese-speaking countries" and many other contents are eye-catching.
"The Plan is based on the original aspiration of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin to promote the moderate diversification of Macao's economy, and is a systematic and overall plan for the all-round integrated development of Macao's space, industry, people's livelihood and urban construction, which will inject strong impetus into Macao's industrial diversification and long-term development. Ho Iat Seng said that the Macao SAR Government will earnestly grasp the major opportunities and continue to promote the coordinated development of Macao and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in combination with the development plan of moderate economic diversification and the "1+4" industrial development strategy of the Macao Special Administrative Region, as well as Macao's unique geographical advantages.
"As 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland, we will accelerate the implementation of a number of landmark achievements that can be seen, seen and felt, promote the establishment of an integrated development pattern between Hengqin and Macao, and achieve new breakthroughs in supporting Macao's moderately diversified economic development. Li Weinong said that the central government's policy of supporting Macao's economic development is constantly being implemented, and Macao society is united, and we are more qualified than ever before, and we are more determined and confident to achieve the goal of moderate economic diversification.
People's Daily (2024-01-15 Edition 17)