Macao SAR chief executive delivers policy address on reform, economic diversification

MACAO -- Sam Hou-fai, chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), on Tuesday laid out the SAR government's priorities for 2026, pledging to push ahead with administrative reform, strengthen economic diversification, improve people's livelihoods, and deepen Macao's integration into national development.

Delivering the 2026 Policy Address at the Legislative Assembly, Sam said that in the coming year, the SAR government will deepen public administration reform.

He pledged to tackle long-standing issues such as poor interdepartmental communication, lack of coordination, and isolated workflows, stressing efforts to break down departmental barriers and build a collaborative, accountable and efficient service-oriented government.

The chief executive also noted that developing an appropriately diversified economy is "a task that must be accomplished," adding that the government will step up policy support, increase investment, and further improve the business environment. The goal, he added, is to nurture new industries with international competitiveness and advance the city's economic diversification strategy.

Macao will pursue a higher level of opening-up and further integrate into the country's overall development, Sam said, noting to deepen the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Great Bay Area, leverage the platform function with Portuguese-speaking countries, deepen international exchanges and cooperation, actively participate in the Belt and Road construction, and deepen cooperation with mainland provinces and cities.

He also vowed to advance the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin with greater effort. Implementing the "Macao plus Hengqin" development strategy and aiming for Macao-Hengqin integration, Macao will further strengthen coordination with Guangdong province and treat the construction of the Hengqin cooperation zone as Macao's own business, Sam said.