Macao achieves remarkable feat since return to China: spokesman

The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has realized significant achievements in terms of international exchanges since it returned to China, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on Wednesday in response to a press query on Macao's accomplishments over the past 25 years.

Spokesman Lin Jian said that 25 years on since its return to the motherland, Macao has made remarkable achievements in implementing "one country, two systems" policy with Macao characteristics and consolidated the constitutional order established in the Constitution and the Basic Law of Macao. It is now enjoying rapid economic growth, steady improvement in people’s wellbeing, and social harmony and stability.

He said with the strong support of the central government, Macao has actively carried out international exchange and cooperation and made more friends globally.

"Macao has taken part in over 190 international organizations and institutions, and received visa-free or visa-upon-arrival treatment from 147 countries and regions. There are more than 750 multilateral treaties applicable to Macao, and it has signed nearly 60 treaties of various kinds with other countries. Macao has also set up stable economic, trade and cultural links with more than 120 countries and regions, and paired with 13 sister cities. In 2023, import and export between Macao and countries participating in Belt and Road cooperation totaled close to RMB 30 billion (more than 4.1 billion U.S. dollars), hitting a record high," said the spokesman.

"Macao has fully leveraged its role as a bridge between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. It has held six ministerial conferences consecutively and a special ministerial conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), which boosted exchange and cooperation between China and these countries. Besides, Macao received many awards, such as the Creative City of Gastronomy, the Culture City of East Asia, the Best Convention City (Asia), and the Best BT-MICE City. The Historic Centre of Macao was inscribed on the World Heritage List. They have certainly elevated Macao’s profile on the international scene," said Lin.

Macao achieves remarkable feat since return to China: spokesman

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Shri Ajit Doval, India's national security adviser and special representative for the India-China boundary question, in Beijing on Wednesday.

Han said that China and India, as ancient oriental civilizations and emerging major powers, adhere to independence, solidarity and cooperation, which is of global influence and strategic significance.

Noting that next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India, Han said the two sides should implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, foster political mutual trust, and gradually resume institutional dialogue as well as exchanges and cooperation in such fields as economy, trade and culture, to bring bilateral relations back onto the track of stable development.

Doval said the resumption of the meeting between special representatives of both countries for the boundary question after an interval of five years is an important move to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and is of great significance for advancing bilateral relations.

India is willing to strengthen strategic communication with China, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations, said Doval.

Chinese VP meets India's national security adviser