PRESIDENT Xi Jinping was set to arrive in Macau yesterday afternoon for a three-day visit as the casino hub prepares to celebrate 25 years of Beijing rule.
The former Portuguese colony was handed over to China on Dec 20, 1999, under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework that promised autonomy and wider civil liberties than the Chinese mainland.
The city – the only place in China where casino gambling is permitted – has long surpassed Las Vegas to be the world’s top casino hub, fuelled by two decades of spending by Chinese visitors.
Xi will attend the inauguration of Macau’s new administration during his trip and “also conduct an inspection tour”, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Sam Hou-fai, the former president of Macau’s highest court, will be sworn in as the city’s fourth post-handover leader – and the first to be born in China and not have a background in business.
Sam has said that Macau cannot rely solely on casinos – which account for 81% of government revenue – and noted the sector’s “barbaric expansion” over the years.
Macau’s economic diversification and integration into China’s regional blueprint, dubbed the Greater Bay Area, will likely be the main themes during Xi’s visit, analysts and scholars said.
“(Xi) will probably want to inspect the non-gaming investments that the Macau concessionaires have promised two years ago,” said Ben Lee, a casino consultant.
Hengqin Island, which is partly leased to Macau to boost its land supply for development, will also be a likely focus of the visit, Lee said.
Xi’s full itinerary has not been disclosed. — AFP
