Table tennis brothers witness Macao's progress in promoting sports events

A pair of table tennis brothers from the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) have witnessed the rapid development of the sports sector in the region.

Cheong Chi Jun and Cheong Chi Cheng, born in 1999, the same year Macao returned to the motherland, began their table tennis training in childhood.

"When we were 11, we visited a sports center with our father. He handed us a pamphlet for a table tennis school and encouraged us to give it a try. That's how our journey in table tennis began," said Cheong Chi Jun.

After rigorous training, the two brothers started to represent Macao in international competitions, starting with the 2017 Asian Table Tennis Championships.

"In Macao, we usually train for two to three hours. When I'm with the provincial team or the national team, our training sessions extend to about six hours. My hands and legs often feel sore after training," said Cheong Chi Jun.

During their training and competitions, the two brothers have witnessed the region's commitment to developing sports and hosting important sporting events.

"Over the past five or six years, Macao has hosted numerous international competitions, including the World Table Tennis Championships and the Table Tennis World Cup. This has allowed the citizens of Macao to experience large-scale international events without leaving home," said Cheong Chi Cheng.

The SAR government has been committed to building Macao into a "city of sports" by hosting many high-profile events. Tickets for the ITTF World Cup semi-finals and finals in 2024 sold out almost instantly, according to the event organizer.

Luis Gomes, head of the Macao Sports Bureau, said that in the 25 years since Macao's return to the motherland, Macao's sports have connected with the world.

"Table tennis is becoming increasingly popular. During the Paris Olympics, the Chinese table tennis team attracted significant attention from Macao citizens in every match. The central government, including the General Administration of Sport, has provided strong support to Macao in hosting various international sports events," he said.

In addition to competing in international games, the two brothers also teach table tennis to children in Macao.

"My daily job involves teaching kids how to play table tennis, sharing my own experience, techniques and tactics with my students," said Cheong Chi Cheng.

"Since the return to the motherland 25 years ago, Macao has experienced its best development period. Sports in Macao have progressed remarkably, and exciting international sports events are held in the region. The 2024 policy address also proposed that the region emerge as a sports hub, attracting international tourists to visit and watch games," said Gomes.

China resumed exercising sovereignty over Macao and established the Macao SAR on Dec 20, 1999.

Table tennis brothers witness Macao's progress in promoting sports events

The Dalian Hi-Tech Industrial Zone in northeast China has taken a raft of measures including streamlining business process and leveraging digital tools to foster a business-friendly environment that could empower companies to thrive.

Home to over 1,200 tech firms, th Dalian High-Tech Industrial Zone is prioritizing a service-oriented approach to business development. Central to this approach is the establishment of an Enterprise Service Center, providing professional services tailored to the needs of businesses.

Shi Jinjin, general manager of tech company ITOWARE, was impressed by the quick response of staff at the service center when she urgently needed to update her company's business license information to finalize a contract scheduled for later in the day.

"The staff here take the business' perspective into account. While it's normal for a business license change to take two or three days, the staff understood that signing a contract is a significant event for a company, so they managed to get the change done in just two hours," said Shi.

The administrative service center offers one-stop service including business consultation and other types of assistance to people in need. Be it about taxes, social security inquiries or anything related to a company's business license, all of that can be dealt with here efficiently.

"Behind the implementation of the 'one-stop' service is the strong collaboration of functional departments across the entire region. Ten business departments are at the forefront, delivering precise and professional services," said Liu Yudong, an official from the Business Environment Construction Bureau of Dalian.

In addition to streamlining the process of handling business matters for enterprises, the High-Tech Zone has also launched a mini program to connect employers with skilled professionals who are critical to business development.

"The benefit of this mini-program is that it centralizes talent within the Dalian High-Tech Zone, allowing companies in the area to receive resumes more quickly. For job seekers, it offers the advantage of finding employment close to home, which is highly desirable for those living in the high-tech zone," said Hao Feixue, an HR manager.

Dalian Hi-Tech Zone improves business environment to empower firms