Macau (MNA) – Vice premier Han Zheng has confirmed that Beijing has approved a blueprint to create an information technology-led economic plan for the 11 cities in the Greater Bay Area, the details of which will be revealed in late February, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.
Han was quoted as saying “No party or agenda, including even environmental protection, will be left behind by this all-inclusive blueprint.”
Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Zhang Xiaoming has announced on Saturday night that the blueprint had be completed on the back of “big progress” made in 2018.
Under the master plan, Macau, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen will be central cities in the Greater Bay Area plan.
Macau will be designated as an ‘international tourism city’ as well as a platform for trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Zhang said, “Under the new circumstances, Hong Kong and Macau still have their unique position and advantages that cannot be replaced.”
Zhang also revealed that nearly 20,000 people from Macau had applied for a new residency permit scheme that would grant them access to social and public services in Mainland China, which was launched on September 1.
Macau and Hong Kong, as special administrative regions (SARs), have differences in tax, customs, economic and legal systems under each city’s Basic Law, which could pose challenges in terms of integrating into the Greater Bay Area.
The Greater Bay Area are a cluster of 11 cities including Macau, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Huizhou and Zhaoqing.
According to the report by the Post, an unnamed source had said the details of the plan were expected to be disclosed on February 21, or before the start of the the legislative and advisory sessions known as the Two Sessions on March 5.
