The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today met with the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR, Mr John Tsang Chun-wah, who was in Macao for the Fifth Hong Kong-Macao Co-operation Meeting.

At the meeting at Government Headquarters, Mr Chui welcomed Mr Tsang and said he believed that the two SARs could further enhance their partnership in various areas.

Mr Chui introduced Macao’s recent efforts in regional co-operation, especially its work with Guangdong Province on projects in Hengqin and Nansha.

Mr Tsang said, after having visited the Institute of Tourism and learnt more about Macao’s tourism industry, that he believed Hong Kong and Macao could further boost their co-operation in tourism.

The Fifth Hong Kong-Macao Co-operation Meeting was co-hosted by the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Tam Pak Yuen, and Mr Tsang. They were joined by senior officials from areas of regional co-operation, environmental protection and finance.

Mr Tam said since the last meeting both sides had made solid progress in their co-operation in 18 areas, in particular finance, tax, environmental protection, tourism and judicial assistance.

They also extended exchanges in cross-jurisdiction infrastructure, civil servants training, immigration and emigration, public health, food safety, culture, sports and intellectual property rights.

Mr Tam said he wished both sides could strengthen co-operation in tourism, convention, Chinese medicine, education and creative industries in the future as development in these areas would help the diversification of Macao’s industrial portfolio.