by Wang Chenxi, Hu Yao
MACAO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Macao unveiled its first five-year plan (2016-2020) in Sept. 2016, mapping out comprehensive development targets for the special administrative region (SAR) which focus on citizen's livelihood and Macao's diversified economy.
After one-year's implementation of the plan, fruitful results have been achieved in the Macao SAR, including the improvement of livelihood of Macao residents and the breakthroughs made by some non-gaming industries.
Furthermore, Macao has incorporated its development into the national development strategy, which provides lasting impetus for its long-term development.
"Generally speaking, the majority of social welfare programs in Macao have been in good progress," said Associate Professor Yin Yifen from the Social, Economic and Public Policy Research Centre, Macao Polytechnic Institute.
Social welfare is one of the most important parts in Macao's first five-year plan. Out of 21 major targets, there are 16 concerning social welfare, covering medical care, social security, education and environment protection.
According to Yin's study, the Macao SAR government's public expenditure on medical care, social security and education have increased in the past years. For example, medical care accounted for 9.2 percent, 10.2 percent and 10.3 percent respectively in 2014, 2015 and 2016 of the total public expenditure.
Social security accounted for 25.1 percent, 24.3 percent and 25.2 percent respectively in 2014, 2015 and 2016 of the total public expenditure. The ratios for education are 14.9 percent, 14.7 percent and 14.9 percent respectively.
Yin Yifen also mentioned that Macao's legislation has already passed the law on non-compulsory central public accumulation funds in May 2017 to improve the social security network. The new law will become effective on Jan. 1, 2018. This means the target set by the plan to accomplish a system of non-compulsory central public accumulation funds has been reached two years earlier before 2020.
However, he said some targets still need to be achieved with more inputs and efforts. For instance, the five-year plan expects 4.4 patient beds for every 1,000 people in 2020, but the current figure only reaches 2.3.
A recent report issued by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) said Macao's exhibition industry recorded a 200-percent increase of net spaces sold from 72,500 square meters in 2012 to 215,250 square meters in 2016, and ranked as the most outstanding exhibition market in Asia.
The report also indicated that the strong support of the Macao SAR government for the exhibition industry, along with the ancillary facilities, contributed to stable industry development. For example, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge which is set to open at the end of 2017, and the expansion of the flight network of the Macau International Airport, will significantly improve regional transportation, creating a new perspective for the Pearl River Delta Region.
"The exhibition industry is just one of some robust non-gaming sectors that find their way for a diversified economy, which is another important part of Macao's first five-year plan," said Yin Yifen's college Lu Kaiyan, a lecturer from the Social, Economic and Public Policy Research Centre, Macao Polytechnic Institute.
"The plan said the revenue of non-gaming business should account for at least 9 percent of total revenue of gaming companies. Such quantitative target for economic diversification is a real boost for the government and enterprises," Lu added.
The Macao SAR government has kept working on cultivating non-gaming environment. Besides traditional businesses such as tourism and exhibition, the outsourcing of non-gaming services from gaming industry provided opportunities for local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The SAR government's 2017 annual work report said Macao's large-scale gaming companies have signed services procurement contracts with SMEs to outsource services of food and beverage, design and decoration, cultural and creative industries. The SMEs can learn the international standards by providing services to big gaming companies and grow their competitiveness in and outside Macao.
"The first year is only a start for five-year plan, but at least the government and the industries have tried and found out some ways for future development," Lu said.
The plan also emphasized that Macao should play a part in the national strategies and the regional development. In the past year, Macao has actively participated in the Belt and Road Initiative and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development.
"Macao has about 400 years' history of multicultural integration between the East and the West. It is a unique advantage in the greater bay area," said Associate Professor Liu Chengkun with the Institute for Sustainable Development, Macau University of Science and Technology.
In the framework agreement on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area that was signed in Hong Kong in July 2017, Macao will be built as a base of communication and cooperation with the Chinese culture as mainstream and multicultural coexistence. That is a new role for Macao besides world tourism and leisure center as well as a platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese speaking countries.
Furthermore, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge can help Macao integrate into the greater bay area. Its tourism, exhibition industry and logistic supply will benefit a lot from this national program.
"Participating in the nation's major strategies can bring Macao tangible results, and also help it cultivate the long-term vision for future plan and development," Liu said.
He took Macao's tourism as example. Soon after the government started its first five-year plan, Macao's tourism bureau also began to make a long-term plan for the tourism industry.
"The five-year plan is new to Macao, and it not only inspired the government and its residents as a whole, but also some business sectors. In some way, such a long-term vision is more important than tangible benefits as it can provide impetus for Macao to keep going forward," Liu commented.
