Portuguese experts highlighted how Macao has leveraged the "One Country, Two Systems" principle to boost its economic and cultural strengths, achieving significant development, since the region's return to China 25 years ago.
As Macao gears up to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its return to the motherland on December 20, 1999, the region's vibrant development has drawn the international community's attention, fully showcasing the powerful driving force of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle in its growth.
Since 1999, Macao has been governed under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle - a unique arrangement that allows it to maintain its capitalist system and way of life within socialist China.
Under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, Macao has secured strong support from its motherland, China, and the right to govern by the people of Macao themselves, thus achieving significant development outcomes.
In an interview with China Central Television, Joaquim Coelho Ramos, director of the Portuguese Institute of the Orient (IPOR), emphasized that Macao, a region rich in cultural heritage, has effectively harnessed its artistic and cultural strengths under the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle, driving its dynamic growth.
"Macao has left a strong impression on me because of its vibrant arts and culture. Both creatively and culturally, the city showcases remarkable richness. Its unique advantage lies in the 'One Country, Two Systems' policy, which provides favorable conditions for Macao to leverage its distinct strengths. This has naturally led to its development," Ramos said.
In a separate interview, Rui Lourido, president of Observatory for China, highlighted the significant progress Macao has made over the past 25 years, especially in economic diversification, pointing to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as a key factor.
Known as one of China's most open and economically vibrant regions, the GBA includes nine cities in south China's Guangdong Province - Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing - along with the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao. China aims to build the bay area into a role model of high-quality development, an international first-class bay area and a world-class city cluster, as a key development strategy in the country's reform and opening up.
"Macao has made significant progress, especially with the advancement of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area project, gaining notable advantages in both economic and social development. With support from the central government, Macao has created favorable conditions for economic diversification," he highlighted.
On December 20, 1999, the Chinese government resumed its exercise of sovereignty over Macao and established the Macao SAR.
Macao attains remarkable growth under "one country, two systems" policy: experts
China is accelerating efforts to build low-altitude infrastructure, with new takeoff and landing facilities, communication networks, and digital systems being constructed in key cities to facilitate the development of this rapidly growing sector.
Low-altitude economy refers to the economic activities and industries centered around manned and unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the airspace usually within 1,000 meters above the ground.
In southern tech hub of Shenzhen, a newly operational rooftop helipad is a key part of the city's push to expand its low-altitude economy. Originally built for fire safety, the helipad has been repurposed with plans for a new aerial sightseeing route in the surrounding area.
"We've estimated the investment, and it's relatively modest since the foundational infrastructure is already in place. The costs will likely be in the range of a few million yuan. If rooftop helipads are connected, it could create an aerial transportation network that links different buildings together," said Kuang Hu, vice chairman of Guangdong Yuehai Land Group.
Shenzhen aims to complete over 1,200 low-altitude facilities by 2026, with the local government offering subsidies of up to 2 million yuan (over 270,000 U.S. dollars) per project. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to create a seamless low-altitude infrastructure ecosystem that integrates airspace management, flight paths, and services.
"By the end of 2026, the district aims to complete 100 low-altitude infrastructure projects," said Chen Wenlei, deputy director of the Development and Reform Bureau of Luohu District, Shenzhen.
"We are in the process of establishing a comprehensive network that includes infrastructure, airspace management, flight paths, and services. By integrating these four key networks into a unified low-altitude standard system, we aim to promote the seamless opening and integration of low-altitude airspace infrastructure and systems," said Cheng Tao, executive secretary of the Shenzhen Low-altitude Economy Industry Association.
In Shanghai, the East China UAV Base has been approved for testing new drones, technologies, and services within a 1,370-square-kilometer airspace. A newly deployed 5G base station at the base offers both communication and radar-like sensing capabilities, essential for managing low-altitude airspace.
"Currently, the station covers a radius of several kilometers, offering crucial data such as the aircraft's latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, and other key metrics. Once airborne, all types of aircraft require communication. For those flying below 300 meters, we can provide tailored coverage for their flight paths," said Du Yanyan, deputy general manager of the Planning and Technology Department at China Mobile Shanghai.
Experts say that technologies like 5G and the BeiDou navigation system are essential to supporting China's low-altitude infrastructure. However, they emphasize the need for network interoperability to address challenges as drones and aircraft transition between regions.
"The low-altitude communication and sensing networks being developed in various regions each follow different technical approaches. For example, when a drone travels from Area A to Area B, it must switch networks, and addressing these challenges promptly is crucial," said Du Jiadong, head of the network and application group at the Low-altitude Economy Research Center, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).
The Civil Aviation Administration of China estimates that the country's low-altitude market will soar from 500 billion yuan in 2023 to 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025 and as much as 3.5 trillion yuan in 2035.
This year, for the first time, the term "low-altitude economy" was included in the Chinese government's work report, signifying an official endorsement that has emboldened numerous cities.
Infrastructure networks rapidly taking shape to boost low-altitude economy
