China Today • Macao Salon Is launched

To mark the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland, the China Today • Macao Salon was launched and the “Hengqin and Macao, Growing Together” literary event was held in Hengqin, Guangdong Province, on November 29.

Liu Dawei, vice president of the China International Communications Group (CICG), said the China Today • Macao Salon, a collaboration between the CICG Center for Europe and Africa and the local government, is a platform for international communication and people-to-people exchanges. It will pool regional resources and work as a multi-lingual and multimedia communications platform with an international vision to present the stories of Macao, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and China to the world. 

Su Kun, deputy director of the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, said the salon was a new step forward for Hengqin in international cooperation. It would be a link between Macao and the mainland, strengthening cooperation and exchanges with the international community and giving a new momentum to Macao's long-term development. 

Liu Yiliang, vice President of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, said under the “one country, two systems” policy, which has given Macao a high degree of autonomy, the special administrative region has become a vital link between China and the outside world. In the 25 years since Macao’s return, it has seen rapid socioeconomic growth. The initiation of the China Today • Macao Salon is not only a tribute to the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return but also an important step to deepen Macao-Hengqin cooperation and bolster cultural integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.  

Zhao Lijun, president of the CICG Center for Europe and Africa (China Today), said the salon is a key project under CICG to innovate on ways of communications and serve as a window for foreigners to learn about Chinese culture. It will leverage the national media resources to share the stories of the Greater Bay Area, Macao’s “one country, two systems,” and its high-quality development. 

Wang Qiu, vice president of the Audiobook Committee, China Federation of Radio and Television Associations, said the “voice” is the most important and direct way to communicate and spread the truth. “We will use the power of the voice and tell good stories of Macao, Hengqin, and China to our readers,” she said. 

Egyptian journalist Yasmine Ramadan said Macao, a city with a long history, has become a bridge connecting China and the rest of the world with its unique culture and open and inclusive spirit. The development process of Macao is not only a model of the successful practice of “one country, two systems,” but also a witness to the deepening of friendly relations between China and Egypt. She looked forward to more Egyptians coming to Macao and other parts of China in the future to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture and jointly promote friendship and cooperation between China and Egypt.

The China Today • Macao Salon was jointly unveiled by Liu Dawei, Su Kun, Wu Zijian, deputy directors of the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Liu Yiliang, Wang Huijie, director of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Sun Lin, an investigator of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, and J. C. Deka James, Minister of the Embassy of the Republic of Benin in China. 

The salon also saw the launch of the Macao audio reading base by Zhao Lijun, Feng Yuhong, deputy director of the Social Affairs Bureau of the Hengqin Office of the Guangdong Provincial Government, Wang Qiu, and Zhang Tao, CEO of Xinhua Zhaobei (Zhuhai Hengqin) Information Technology Co., Ltd. The base will rely on Macao’s unique cultural advantages to cultivate professionals for the audio reading industry and inject new vitality into Macao’s cultural undertakings. 

The cover of China Today’s special issue on the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland was displayed at the event. The special issue runs stories about the successful practice of the “one Country, two systems” policy in Macao and the development of the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin. 

As part of the program, the “Hengqin and Macao, Growing Together” literary event was held at the Hengqin Culture & Arts Complex. Renowned figures from the literary and art circles showcased Macao’s cultural heritage by reciting from literary classics. The theme was Macao’s prosperity and development since its return to the motherland. 

This event was hosted by the CICG Center for Europe and Africa (China Today) under the aegis of the Livelihood Affairs Bureau and Administrative Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. It was jointly organized by iCity (Hengqin) and Beijing Jinzhong Cultural Communication Co., Ltd.