Macao to unleash potential based on Basic Law

Officials and scholars from the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Chinese mainland highlighted the role of the SAR's Basic Law in ensuring Macao's lasting stability and prosperity, vowing to firmly uphold the law to fully leverage Macao's advantages and deepen integration into the country's development.

They made the remarks on Friday as the city celebrates the 30th anniversary of the promulgation of the Basic Law of Macao with a series of activities.

This year's commemorative events included a conference and a symposium on Friday, to which officials and experienced law scholars from the Chinese mainland and Macao were invited to deliver speeches about their understanding of the Basic Law.

Macao Chief Executive Ho Iatseng said at the morning conference that the Basic Law's implementation in Macao has proved that the law is in line with the fundamental interests of the country and the city. It ensures Macao's long-term stability and prosperity and helps safeguard the interests of national sovereignty, security and development.

Ho pledged to further implement "patriots administering Macao" and strengthen education about the nation's Constitution and the SAR's Basic Law, especially among young people and government officers, to lay a solid social foundation for the long-term practice of "one country, two systems".

The SAR will also strictly fulfill its constitutional obligation of safeguarding national security and keep improving related legislation and mechanisms, Ho said. He will strive to further boost major industries and collaboration with nearby mainland cities to seek more diversified growth and play a greater role in the nation's development.

At the same event, Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice-chairman of the 14th National People's Congress Standing Committee, said that to implement Macao's Basic Law well, society must accurately understand the relationship between "one country" and "two systems".

He continued that "one country" is the prerequisite and foundation of "two systems", and the society's development should not deviate from this principle. All political organs, social organizations and local residents should consciously respect and safeguard the fundamental system of the nation.

Although Macao's economy has faced difficulties in recent years due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, he believes that with the central government's staunch support and the SAR government's fresh initiatives, the economy will revive soon and the city will enter a new development stage on all fronts.

Experts and scholars from Macao and the mainland also exchanged views on the significance of the Basic Law of Macao at the symposium held on Friday afternoon.

Qiao Xiaoyang, former director of Macao Basic Law committee under the NPC Standing Committee, said the design of Macao's Basic Law not only considered the nation's development needs, but also the SAR's practical situations.

Ho Teng-iat, vice-president of the Association of Promotion of the Basic Law of Macao, said that a comprehensive understanding of the Basic Law is critical for Macao to maintain its sustainable development.

Therefore, members of the Macao community should constantly enhance the understanding of the law, and address new situations and problems arising from its implementation in a timely manner, she said, adding that her association will actively play a role in it.