The Chief Executive of Macau said that 2019 marks the end of a ten-year governance phase for himself and his team, on Tuesday when he presented a review of government action for 2019 to the Legislative Assembly.

Chui Sai On will be replaced on 20 December 2019 as Chief Executive by Ho Iat Seng, who was appointed in September by the Council of State as Chief Executive of the 5th Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR).

The Chief Executive recalled in his speech the role played by Macau in deepening the relationship between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries. He mentioned the promotion of the “RMB Compensation Center for Portuguese-speaking Countries” as well as the creation of the “Financial Services Platform between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries.”

He also noted the focus on Portuguese, “as an official language,” promoting bilingualism and “consolidating the platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries,” recalling that in 2016 a funding programme was created to train bilingual staff in Chinese and Portuguese.

“Until September 2019, 10.6 million patacas were granted to support 99 projects, including the publication of academic and development papers and digital learning materials for Chinese and Portuguese language courses.”

Economic relations were also part of the document, which mentions the “acceleration” of the construction of the Macau Forum’s facilities, whose first phase should be completed this year, as well as the promotion of cooperation between companies from China and Portuguese-speaking countries, “having jointly explored business opportunities and markets,” it said.

As part of Forum Macau’s training centre, until September of this year, 44 seminars were held, covering topics ranging from transport management to traditional medicine. 1,100 local trainees from mainland China and Portuguese-speaking countries participated. (Macauhub)