Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with Macao residents living in Hengqin during an inspection of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, located at the southern tip of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, Dec. 19, 2024. Xi, accompanied by Ho Iat Seng, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), inspected the cooperation zone on Thursday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday praised the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin for its role in bolstering Macao's economic diversification, and urged further efforts to improve connectivity and facilitate market integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection of the cooperation zone as part of his three-day visit to the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Xi arrived in Macao on Wednesday for the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland, the inauguration of the sixth-term government of the Macao SAR, and an inspection tour of the region.

Hengqin, located at the southern tip of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, is separated from Macao by a narrow stretch of water. Established in 2021, the cooperation zone serves as a vital platform for promoting Macao's appropriate economic diversification.

During his visit, Xi toured an exhibition highlighting the achievements of the cooperation zone's development, and commended its progress in recent years.

"Practice has proven that the central authorities' decision to develop Hengqin and establish the cooperation zone is completely correct," Xi said.

He was briefed on the joint initiative of Guangdong and Macao to build a high-level scientific and technological platform for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The president praised the integration of advanced multidisciplinary technologies and the zone's support for the global advancement of TCM.

Xi also met with Macao residents living in Hengqin and young entrepreneurs from Macao who have started businesses in the zone. He emphasized that the development of Hengqin provides vast opportunities for Macao's youth to achieve their ambitions, and expressed hope that more young people from Macao will build remarkable careers there.

Speaking with individuals involved in the zone's planning, construction, management and services, Xi lauded them as pioneers of and contributors to Hengqin's development.

Xi stressed the importance of concrete measures and tangible outcomes in promoting Macao's appropriate economic diversification, improving residents' livelihoods and boosting employment.

He called for new institutional achievements in leveraging the advantages of the "one country, two systems" framework and aligning the rules and mechanisms of the two sides.

Additionally, he stressed the pioneering role of deeper integration of Hengqin and Macao in facilitating market integration in the Greater Bay Area.

Xi urged improvements in connectivity to accelerate the creation of a highly coordinated economic system and a deeply aligned regulatory framework between Hengqin and Macao and elevate their integration to a higher level.

Efforts should focus on enhancing public services and social security systems to foster a high-quality living environment that facilitates living, working and entrepreneurship for Macao residents, Xi said.

He also emphasized the need to fully utilize the central government's support policies to foster a world-class business environment.

Senior officials including Cai Qi attended the event. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks with individuals involved in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone's planning, construction, management and services, in Hengqin, located at the southern tip of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, Dec. 19, 2024. Xi, accompanied by Ho Iat Seng, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), inspected the cooperation zone on Thursday. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)