'Xia values Macau as an international metropolis'
Senior Beijing official Xia Baolong highly values Macau's position as an international metropolis and its cooperation with nearby Hengqin, Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng said on Sunday as the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office wrapped up his week-long inspection trip to the gambling hub. During his visit, Xia met representatives from various sectors, including healthcare, education and technology, to learn more about the latest social and economic developments in the SAR. Ho said the senior Beijing official described Macau as "the apple of the motherland's eye" and stressed the need to use its advantages to build a "golden business card". "From my understanding, Director Xia's visit this time is to make an assessment of the current term of the SAR government. It's a great support for our work. They provide suggestions on areas where our work is insufficient," the Macau leader told reporters. "Regarding our existing problems, they convey what the central government expects from us in meetings with executive, legislative and judicial bodies." This is Xia's second visit to Macau in as many years and came ahead of the 25th anniversary of the SAR's handover and a new term of government. Ho said Xia didn't mention the Macau CE election during the visit. "This time, he emphasised a lot the 'golden business card' of Macau, and he also emphasised that Macau is now an international city, or an international cosmopolitan," Agnes Lam, associate professor at the University of Macau and a former lawmaker, told RTHK. "I think he didn't mention 'international' that many times last time. I think this is a new emphasis for Macau." During his trip, Xia visited the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and inspected a number of projects there, and Lam believes it shows the central government wants quicker integration of Macau and Hengqin.  "I think they urge the progress to be faster. This time, I think Director Xia also visited several key projects, including a residential project named Macau [New] Neighbourhood. And also he asked the whole society to support the government to speed up that project. So I think he also sent a stronger message about we should progress with that project."