Sam Hou Fai has only just arrived; he’s had little time to do anything; and he steps in with a budget that isn’t even his—approved by Ho Iat Seng. The new Chief Executive brings ideas—strategic ones—about revenue diversification, Hengqin, and internationalization. This plan, aligned with the guiding lines of the Central Government, has been widely praised: on the Mainland, in the Legislative Assembly, and in the press. Political tradition grants him a blank check—time to prove his worth and intentions. But the people’s voice is already being heard: in cafés, on social media, in public forums. Because no short-term solutions are in sight; the focus on the Greater Bay Area raises fears of neglecting local issues; and while alignment with the nation isn’t contested in theory, it raises doubts in practice about local interests. Tension is already palpable, shedding some light on Xia Baolong’s strong, preemptive speech about national security, the submission of lawmakers to the Executive, and the non-negotiable duty to invest in Hengqin.
Do SMEs feel a new world emerging? No, because it doesn’t exist; and the shift in consumption across the border isn’t some circumstantial oddity—it’s structural, because it simply makes sense for consumers. Will we see new shops opening, restaurants growing, and multiple jobs created in the 1+4 sectors? Certainly not yet. Will the new cultural and leisure zones change the city’s face and tourism profile? Maybe one day, if many things change—starting with the conservative view of leisure tourism that, deep down, holds everything back. Is it really possible to attract foreign investment while blocking the critical mass that must accompany it? Everyone knows the answer is no, including the central and local authorities; but that doesn’t mean there’s consensus to end protectionism and the fear of bureaucracy. And is Hengqin really the solution to employment and local average income? Or is it just another problem for the short blanket of the budget, which can’t cover the feet without uncovering the head?
The three strategic pillars of development make complete sense: regional integration, the Lusophone platform—now Luso-Hispanic—and economic diversification. In essence, they are three legs of the same walker, complementing and feeding into one another. There can be no economic diversification without the Greater Bay; no internationalization without opening Mainland doors to foreign companies; and no Chinese multinationals in Macau unless they see it as a gateway to the global market. The problem is, after so much time lost pursuing these goals; given that Macau lacks a business culture, competitiveness, critical mass, and real investment capacity, it’s hard to see how and when this strategy will deliver results. Not to mention the classic fear among those whose lives depend on protectionist assumptions—and state-sponsored rent-seeking—who now realize those days may be over, if they aren’t already.
We are in that limbo where everyone is right, and no one knows how to get out. There’s no future without a strategic plan; but everything takes time. There was no plan—or execution—without Beijing’s green light; but the loss of local power is obvious… yet there’s no harmony if life keeps getting harder and the anxiety temperature rises. The tasks are many and must be carried out; but the people’s love depends much more on the short term than on a future which, however reasonable it may seem, fuels anxiety in those fighting against time—without even knowing what to do in a new world that poses more challenges than certainties.
*Director-General of PLATAFORMA.
