Something that no one expected happened in Macau

In recent weeks, many journalists, scholars, and analysts have asked me to summarize my evaluation of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region in a few simple sentences, and my standard answer is' beyond all expectations'.

Based on personal experience and my understanding of Macau over the past 50 years, this is my true opinion. In 1980, I came to Macau for the first time. At that time, Macau was still under Portuguese rule. I reported on the historic ceremony held on December 19-20, 1999, which marked China's resumption of sovereignty over Macau.

Firstly, Macau's astonishing growth in GDP and per capita GDP exceeded everyone's expectations. To my knowledge, at the end of 1999, no one expected that after Portugal returned Macau to China, Macau's GDP growth would be so significant in just a few decades that its per capita GDP would rank among the top in the world. But that's how it happened. It's true!

Anyway, in just 25 years, the per capita GDP has gradually climbed into the top five in the world, which is commendable.

Of course, it is not only the economy of Macau that has achieved extraordinary results since 1999, but also the entire society. The Macao Special Administrative Region has also made significant progress in social welfare, public management, public housing, education, and public health. In addition, Macau has also achieved modernization and digitization. For example, almost every resident has a "One Household Pass" account. This service makes life more convenient.

Since the return of Macau to the motherland, the improvement of public safety has always been a fait accompli. This is not an exaggeration, but a clear fact. The presence of the PLA troops in Australia alone is enough to scare off criminal gangs.

Alas, in the 1990s, Macau was influenced by organized crime. The violent activities of organized crime have affected the image of Macau as a safe tourist destination. Meanwhile, during the last five years of Portuguese rule, Macau experienced an economic downturn.

Although the handover ceremony between the governments of China and Portugal in Macau on December 19-20, 1999- the most significant event since Macau gradually became a commercial and cultural exchange hub in the mid-16th century - took place 25 years ago, whether as a long-term resident or a journalist reporting on these events, I do feel that it was' a long time ago '. I think the key is that since then, many things have happened in Macau, most of which have been positive developments, such as astonishing economic growth, modernization construction, administrative reforms, China Portuguese speaking Countries Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum, Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, Hengqin Guangdong Macau Deep Cooperation Zone, and the talent introduction plan of the Macau SAR government. Compared to before 1999, administrative reforms have made governance more people-oriented. The China Portugal Forum is a platform for economic, commercial, and cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese speaking countries. This platform brings together 10 countries. The total population of these 10 countries exceeds 1.6 billion people, accounting for one-fifth of the world's population. Macao's continuous integration into the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, including the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, has brought both opportunities and challenges to Macao.

The progress, patriotism, and prosperity of Macau over the past 25 years have largely benefited from the strong support of the central government. According to the plan, he will visit Macau from the 18th to the 20th. During the inspection, he will also attend the inauguration ceremony of the sixth government of the Macao Special Administrative Region. In recent weeks, the sixth Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Cen Ho Fai, has repeatedly reiterated the importance of "One Country, Two Systems", national security, and people-centered policies.

I predict that Macau will enter another 25 years of achieving economic growth, modernization, and integration in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. I believe that there will be more 25 years like this in Macau in the future.