CE: Working hand in hand with Guangdong and Hong Kong to build a world-class bay area

MACAU, November 3 - Macao has always remained firmly focused on its own positioning as one of the four major cities and a core driving force of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Macao stands as both a pioneer and a beneficiary of the development of the GBA in the process of building a world centre for tourism and leisure, a platform for Sino-Portuguese trade and economic cooperation, and a base for the coexistence, exchange and cooperation of diverse cultures with Chinese culture as the mainstream.

This is according to the Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, who delivered today a video address at the 2026 Global Investment Promotion Conference for the GBA. The conference was held this afternoon in Guangzhou.

In the speech, Mr Sam urged entrepreneurs both at home and abroad to capitalise on the benefits and opportunities presented by the GBA’s development, and to invest, establish a presence and put down deep roots in the region.

He stated that the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government is comprehensively advancing the “1+4” strategy for appropriate economic diversification of the Macao economy. It also strives to optimise, refine and strengthen the integrated tourism and leisure sector while remaining committed to promoting key industries including traditional Chinese medicine and holistic health, specialised financial services, high and new technologies, and conventions, exhibitions and trade, he added.

Mr Sam noted that in the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and the high-level promotion of cooperation across all sectors within the GBA, policy support and resource allocation had been continuously strengthened, whilst efforts to align rules and mechanisms had been sustained.

This has created favourable conditions for supporting enterprises in the GBA to “go global” and “bringing in” more enterprises and investment projects, broaden their international circle of associates, improve two-way investment channels, and deepen international exchanges and cooperation.

Mr Sam pointed out that, under the “One country, two systems” principle, Macao enjoys distinct geographical advantages: backed by the motherland and connected to the world. Macao enjoys the status of a free port and a separate customs territory with a simple, low-tax system, making it one of the regions with the lowest corporate tax rates globally.

As the only region in the world where both Chinese and Portuguese are official languages, Macao is not only a “precise connector” for trade and economic cooperation amongst the nine Portuguese-speaking countries, but is also actively extending its role as a bridge to Spanish-speaking countries, whilst maintaining stable economic and trade relations with numerous other countries and regions around the world.

At the same time, Hengqin’s innovation hubs and the GBA’s advantages in terms of a comprehensive industrial supply chain have laid a solid foundation for Macao to cultivate new forms of productive capacity, accelerate the gathering of talent, and promote appropriate economic diversification.

Mr Sam highlighted that the GBA is one of the most open and economically dynamic regions in China, characterised by a well-developed manufacturing sector, a comprehensive industrial chain, a well-established supply chain and a concentration of factors conducive to technological innovation.

He mentioned that he had earlier led delegations to Portugal, Spain, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia to promote the GBA and bolster investment attraction. A key focus of his tours was to encourage entrepreneurs from Macao and the Chinese mainland to “venture abroad together on a shared voyage”, thereby deepening international engagement and expanding into overseas markets. These efforts showcased the achievements of the integrated development between Macao and Hengqin, the industrial strengths of the GBA, and the appeal of Macao as a platform for international cooperation. Furthermore, the 13th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting was successfully hosted in Macao this year, and preparations are now in full swing for the 7th Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, which will be held in Macao next year. Macao’s international competitiveness and influence are on the rise, noted Mr Sam.

Under the operational mechanism and framework of “One country, two systems” and as three separate customs territories, the GBA’s total economic output exceeded 15 trillion renminbi in 2025. Its business environment has continued to improve, with opportunities driven by innovation growing by the day. It is playing an increasingly important supporting and leading role in the nation’s economic development and high-level opening up.

Looking to the future, Mr Sam stated that Macao would continue to proactively align itself with national strategies, building upon the development positioning of “One Centre, One Platform, and One Base” and “One Highland”, and leveraging its unique advantages in connecting the domestic and international markets.

Macao will continue to step up its efforts to attract investment, taking the four key projects – including the Macao Sci-Tech Park and the Government Guidance Fund as key drivers, Mr Sam said. Macao will actively promote the integration of key industries with GBA resources and focus on areas of strength such as digital technology, biopharmaceuticals, integrated circuits and aerospace technology.

Building on the solid foundation of Macao’s integrated development with Hengqin, Macao will work hand in hand with Guangdong Province and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to steadily advance towards the goal of building a world-class bay area and a world-class urban agglomeration, Mr Sam concluded.

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