MSAR Chief Executive Chui Sai On - attending the Fourth Session of the Twelfth National People's Congress opening ceremonies on 5^th March - had a flurry of meetings in Beijing from 3^rd to 6^th March. Mr. Chui engaged with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Administration of Customs, and Ministry of Public Security in addition to meeting with senior officials from Beijing Province and Guangdong Province regarding further co-operation.

Together with MSAR Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak and Director-General of Macao Customs Service Vong Iao Lek, Mr. Chui met with Yu Guangzhou, Director of the General Administration of Customs (GAC) of the PRC Government on 4^th March. The focus of the meeting was to reassert the MSAR's enthusiasm in co-operating with the General Administration of Customs, especially with regard to multilateral co-operation, the marine economy, and co-operation with countries abutting the 'Belt and Road' route. Macao will make full use of local cultural tourism resources, said the Chief Executive, and given Macao's good relationship with Portuguese-speaking countries will do its part in promoting the marine economy and local economic diversification.

Yu Guangzhou remarked upon the updated map of administrative divisions of the MSAR, saying GAC will continue fully co-operating with the MSAR Government, and focus on follow-up once the new maritime boundary is announced. Both administrations are working on the collaboration mechanism for their respective Customs, the mechanism of which it is hoped can be confirmed during the annual meeting in May. The two parties also discussed laying down the foundation for judicial co-operation following delimitation.

On the same day, Mr. Chui, Secretary of Economy and Finance Lionel Leong Vai Tac, Secretary of Security Wong Sio Chak, and the Director-General of Macao Customs Service Vong Iao Lek visited Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi. During the meeting, the Chief Executive reasserted that Macao will follow the guidelines of 'One centre and one platform' laid down by the Central Government, and that Macao will properly manage the fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

In addition, Mr. Chui attended a meeting with Guo Shengkun, Minister of Public Security, with whom he exchanged opinions on further co-operation designed to safeguard the prosperity and stability of the MSAR. He later met with Guo Jinlong, CPC Beijing Municipal Committee Secretary; Hu Chunhua, Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee; and Zhu Xiaodan, Governor of Guangdong Province.

During his meeting with the senior officials from Guangdong Province, Mr. Chui remarked that Macao's newly acquired 85 square kilometres of water management rights would help improve co-operation between Guangdong Province and Macao. The MSAR Government will be attentive to the development of Pearl River Delta water resources and the development of Guangdong while planning for its marine economy. He also said that Macao is committed to continuing its co-operation with Guangdong Province, and that with the province's support the Free Yacht Travel Scheme will hopefully be announced this year.