CE meets with Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs

MACAU, September 2 - The Chief Executive, Mr Sam Hou Fai, urged enterprises in Macao and Indonesia to expand cooperation in trade, commerce, and tourism through pragmatic exchanges on multiple fronts, thereby promoting friendly ties between the two places.

This was Mr Sam’s main message during a meeting with Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Mr Airlangga Hartarto, in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, on Tuesday evening (1 September). A delegation of about 20 businesspeople from Macao, Hengqin and elsewhere on the Chinese mainland joined the two officials during the meeting.

Indonesia is an important node on the “21st-Century Maritime Silk Road” and a key partner for Macao as it expands cooperation with Southeast Asia, noted Mr Sam. He added that both Macao and Indonesia were blessed with abundant tourism resources and rich cultural heritage, and the two regions boasted close economic and trade cooperation.

According to the Chief Executive, exchanges between the two sides are poised to further increase, with the Indonesian Government recently resuming visa-free entry for Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) passport holders. He added that there is great potential for cooperation in various areas, including tourism, trade, and the healthcare industry.

Mr Sam noted that Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population, representing significant market potential, and that there is still considerable room for growth in the country’s economic and trade cooperation with Macao. Many Macao enterprises are actively expanding into the Indonesian market by obtaining halal-product certification. He expressed hope that Macao and Indonesia would work together to promote the rapid opening of direct flights between the two places, injecting new momentum into cooperation.

The MSAR Government is actively promoting the implementation of the Third Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the MSAR (2026-2030). It includes plans for expanding Macao's development space and enhancing its industrial carrying capacity through high-quality development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Businesses establishing in Hengqin can benefit from Macao's international business environment and free-port advantages, while leveraging Hengqin's land resources and industrial policies, to expand into the rest of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the wider Chinese-mainland market. Mr Sam urged Indonesian companies to participate actively in the development of the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and seize the opportunity for mutual development.

During the meeting, Mr Hartarto said that Indonesia is experiencing steady economic growth. He said Macao's economy has maintained stable development for a long period, thanks to the institutional advantages of the "One country, two systems" principle. He noted that Indonesia can fully leverage Macao's international platform to explore more cooperation opportunities in trade, tourism, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and environmental technology. Mr Hartarto pointed out that Indonesia ranks among the top Southeast Asian source markets for tourists visiting Macao, demonstrating a solid foundation and broad potential for tourism cooperation between the two places. He also expressed hope that both sides would actively explore the possibility of opening direct flights between Jakarta and Macao to enhance mutual connectivity and trade exchanges.

During the meeting, the business representatives present actively expressed their opinions on the “Big Health” industry, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and environmental protection.

Also attending the meeting were: the Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Wang Lutong; Macao’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Ms Ng Wai Han; the Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Chan Kak; the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; the President of Macao’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ms Leong Wai Man; the President of the Board of Directors of Macao’s Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Che Weng Keong; Indonesia’s Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Mr Susiwijono Moegiarso; and Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for Coordination of International Economic Cooperation, Mr Edi Prio Pambudi.

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