Macao's 15 years of examplary progress

Dec 20, 2014 marks the 15th anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region's return to the motherland. In the past 15 years, Macao has achieved great success in the political, economic, social and cultural fields. One of the main reasons Macao could achieve these is that it adheres to the "One Country, Two Systems" policy and acts in accordance with the Basic Law, which guarantees the SAR's prosperity and stability.

From 2000 to 2013, Macao's average economic growth in real terms was 13 percent. In 2013, Macao's GDP was 413.47 billion Macao patacas ($51.76 billion), and the average monthly salary, 12,000 patacas. Over the past decade and half, Macao has explored a development path in line with its actual condition, which is marked by several development characteristics.

First, Macao's development path has a clear goal. In 2001, Macao advanced its development direction, that its development will be led by the tourism and lottery industries, based on the service industry, and coordinated development of other industries will be promoted. China's 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10) and 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) also promoted moderate and multiple development of Macao's economy.

The major goal of Macao's development is to establish an international tourism and leisure hub and build a service platform for economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Six industries - lottery, retail, catering, hotel, passenger-transport and travel - closely related to tourism have developed rapidly.

Second, Macao's government focuses on local people's livelihood and welfare. Macao residents' deposit rose from 84.28 billion patacas in 1999 to 432.43 billion patacas in 2013. According to household income surveys, conducted every five year, in 2012 Macao's average household income was 41,000 patacas, which is almost three times of that in 1998. The number of low-income households has decreased, and the Gini coefficient fell from 0.43 in 1998 to 0.35 in 2012. This means Macao residents' income gap has reduced to a relatively reasonable level.

Macao's social security system consists of two parts: social security funds and social aid. Social security funds include old-age pensions, invalidity pensions, unemployment allowance and funeral payment. Social aid includes economic aid, emergency aid and special aid for disadvantage groups. Macao has established a 15-year free education system, and its old-age pension has increased from 1,150 patacas to 3,180 patacas.

Third, democracy has developed in Macao according to its real conditions. Macao's first chief executive was nominated and elected by Macao's first chief executive selection committee and appointed by the central government. Macao's first chief executive selection committee consisted of 200 members. But its second and third chief executive selection committee comprised 300 members, while the fourth consists of 400 members.

The election of Legislative Council members, too, has made democratic progress. Macao's first Legislative Council consisted of 23 members - eight each directly and indirectly elected, and seven appointed. The second Legislative Council comprised 27 members - 10 directly elected, 10 indirectly elected and seven appointed. The third consists of 29 members - 12 directly elected, 10 indirectly elected and eight appointed.

Apart from the support of the central government and Chinese mainland, Macao's prosperity over the past 15 years owes much to the efforts of the SAR government, which has successfully linked economic development with democratic development. Although Macao's Basic Law does not stipulate universal suffrage, Macao has found a democratic path that is in accordance with its real conditions.

The Macao SAR government has dealt with the relationship between economic development and social welfare well. After achieving rapid economic growth, Macao has spent a considerable part of its revenues to improve people's livelihoods in order to solve their real problems.

The Macao government has also dealt well with the relationship between democracy and the rule of law. The revision of Macao's chief executive and Legislative Council elections abide by the "One Country, Two Systems" policy and is in accordance with the Basic Law and relevant decisions of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

The SAR government has also made an example of the way it has dealt with the relationship among reform, development and stabilization. And by remarkably reducing the gap between the rich and poor, it has avoided social fluctuations.

Macao's achievements in the 15 years show that it has explored a development model that not only is in line with its actual condition, but also follows the "One Country, Two Systems" policy.

The author is a professor of law at Peking University.