The Government has gazetted a special body to lead the management and economic development of the maritime area that comes under the responsibility of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

The Coordination Commission for the Management and Economic Development of the Maritime Area was outlined in Executive Order no. 57/2017 published on Monday (20 March) in the Macao SAR Gazette.

Responsibilities of the Commission include: management of the city’s maritime area; initiation of research for creation of a master plan and policies for the economic development of the waters; promotion of legislation for the economic development and utilisation of the waters; and issuance of guidelines in accordance with the Commission’s functions.

The Commission is under the supervision of the Chief Executive, who will also act as its chairman. Its members are to comprise: the five departmental Secretaries; the Director-General of the Macao Customs Service; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office; the Deputy Director-General of the Macao Customs Service; the Director of the Government Information Bureau; the Director of the Legal Affairs Bureau; the President of the Management Committee of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau; the Director of the Macao Economic Services, and representatives from a number of other public departments.

According to the Executive Order, the Commission has the power to set up specialised task forces to undertake those works for which the Commission is responsible. Members of such task forces might include distinguished persons from Macao or further afield, including those from academic institutions, and from public or private entities. Such persons might also be asked to attend Commission meetings.

The Chief Executive’s Office will provide administrative, technical and logistical support to the Commission. The body’s budget will come from the Chief Executive’s Office.

On 20 December 2015, the State Council, via the Decree No. 665, approved a new administrative division map for the Macao SAR. According to the Decree, 85 square kilometres of waters surrounding Macao, and an area of land where the Border Gate with Zhuhai is located, are placed under Macao’s management.

Since the establishment in June 2016 of an interdepartmental group – led by the Chief Executive – the Government has been dedicating efforts to the Medium-to-long-term Plan for Usage and Development of the Waters of the Macao SAR (2016-2036).