OPINION – New Year, New Government and New Hope: President Xi Jinping’s speeches and Macau’s external dimension

By José Luís de Sales Marques

Economist

The year 2024 ended on a high note, with President Xi Jinping’s visit to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (MSAR) and to administer the oath of office for the new Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai and his government members. It was President Xi’s third visit to the MSAR in this capacity, and the sixth altogether, a remarkable show of appreciation for this region.

The vision he conveyed in his double speeches—first at the welcoming dinner hosted by the MSAR on the 19th of December, and the second, on the 20th of December, at the inauguration of the sixth-term MSAR government—announcing his three expectations for the MSAR, the four principles (also applicable to the HKSAR) for the continuous success of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, and the four hopes for the MSAR, are key to the future of this region. These speeches establish guidelines for its internal development, relations with China’s national strategies, and engagement with the international community.

Particularly, his call for Macau to remain “open, diverse and tolerant” to best serve its unique role as a bridge between China and the world will be remembered for many years to come as a defining moment, infusing clarity and direction into this region’s political future, development strategies, and contributions to the national economy and security strategies. Commending the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy with Macau characteristics, he reinstated its value and longevity—a policy to stay for a “long time to come,” a statement that, made in 2024, indicates it will eventually go beyond 2049, the term of the ongoing fifty years of transition for the MSAR.

President Xi’s remarks on the contribution of the two SARs to China’s world standing are fresh and enhance how important their respective external dimensions are and should be developed and fully utilised to reach regional and national goals. Particularly, it shows how much Macau still has the potential to improve its international visibility: “make more friends across the world, and act as an important bridge for China’s high-standard opening”; “as a place where Chinese and Western culture merge, Macao should promote international people-to-people exchanges, better present Macao and China to the world, and turn the city into an important window of exchanges between Chinese and Western civilisations”; “strengthen connections with both the mainland and the international community”; “enhance global competitiveness”; “continue to improve its business environment, improve its legal systems such as the civil and commercial laws”; “nurture and fire up its market vitality, and attract more international resources.” These are all some of the hopes that President Xi conveyed in the speech delivered on the 20th of December.

President Xi’s remarks on the contribution of the two SARs to China’s world standing are fresh and enhance how important their respective external dimensions are and should be developed and fully utilised to reach regional and national goals.

A day earlier, as he was being welcomed by outgoing Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, he shared his three expectations for the future of the MSAR. Namely, that Macau should embrace a broader vision, including playing a bigger role on the international stage; that it will embrace diversity and inclusiveness, working to attract the best minds to join in building a better Macau, adding that whoever supports One Country, Two Systems and loves Macau as their home is a native—“having drunk from the Lilau fountain” [a famous square in Macau’s historical district]—and a positive force contributing to Macau’s development; and, last but not least, that Macau will continue to forge ahead with resolve, as the people of Macau are never short of the can-do spirit, demonstrating stronger resolve and greater courage in reform and innovation.

Altogether, there are plenty of guidelines—or even directives—for the new government to proactively pursue a path that, in the not-so-distant future, will de facto and timely solve some of the pending concerns that the business community has been addressing through several channels, forums, and seminars, such as those promoted by Macau Business with the participation of local and international business leaders and academics.

Accordingly, Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai stated in his first round of meetings after taking office, including a seminar with all sectors of society, that his government will strive to learn, promote, and implement the spirit of the important speeches by President Xi during his inspection tour in Macau. We hope that addressing some of the aforementioned concerns of the business sectors will feature among the priorities of the new government.

As the international environment is turning ever more complex, and Donald Trump’s presidency will only add to that complexity, let us also hope that this New Year of 2025 will surprise us with some positive international news, particularly by bringing an end to the ongoing wars and conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

Happy 2025!